Bible Study
Our God Will Never Fail
Deu 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
(All we’ve ever seen in this life as far as the things of this world are concerned, is failure. Every person fails at times, all man-made stuff gets old and fails, and the list goes on. We expect stuff to fail that’s why we buy insurance and back up our data. But God never fails and in fact, it’s impossible for Him to do so because He is all-knowing and all-powerful, those big words omniscient and omnipotent. This Bible outline study looks at some truth about our God that will never fail.)
I. His purpose will never fail
(a setting forth, a proposal, intention)
(What God decrees will come to pass without fail. He purposed the end even before the beginning and our faith can rest in that no matter what it may look like, God’s plan can not fail because God purposed and executed it)
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Isa 14:24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
Isa 14:27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
II. His Promise will never fail
(God’s Word can not fail because He and His Word are one. An impossible truth to comprehend but God’s Word is eternal just as God is Eternal. When we see His promises, we can be sure they will never fail)
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Isa 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
III. His Presence will never fail
(God is omnipresent, He is everywhere therefore His presence will never fail. As believers, we are assured that from the moment we were saved, He moved into us in the person of the Holy Spirit and will never leave. When we are finished with this life on earth, we will then be with Him eternally so God is forever with us
Heb 13:5 for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Deu 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee
Mat 28:20 and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world
Psa 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
IV. His Power will never fail
(Because God has all power in heaven and earth and all other power(s) was created and ordained by Him, His power will never fail or be overcome. We seem vulnerable to forces beyond our control but because we belong to Him, His power is ordained for us, not against us and even the powers of darkness must tremble at our mighty God)
Psa 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Rom 8:35 & 37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Luk 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Convinced Of His Love
1John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 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.
(God is love, the scriptures declare in 1 John 4:16 but reconciling this truth with the fact He is also infinitely holy, infinitely perfect, and infinitely just is impossible without seeing His Word through the interpretation of the Holy Spirit. To see God as love without seeing His demand that sin be vindicated and sinners pay the price for their sin is a one-sided view that has polluted today’s doctrines as we have retreated from teaching the truth of judgement and eternal punishment and even those who claim to still teach the whole truth, carefully choose words that are much smoother lest they shock of offend people’s sensitive ears. But the Bible outline study this week is simply to declare the Lord loves us and we can be convinced of His love.
I. Our love for the Lord does not cause or secure His love for us.
(Unlike human love which is mostly conditional, I love you if you love me, God’s love is an extension of who He is and is given to us even when we, because of our sin, were unable to love Him. Using Peter below as an example, he expressed his love for Jesus but when put in a situation of either suffering because of his love or denying the Lord to save his own skin, we know what he did. Human love is given or taken at will but God’s love is not based on circumstances or emotions.
Matthew 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Matthew 26:35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Luke 22:33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
1John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
II. The Lord gives because He loves
(A large portion of doctrine, and it is false, implies some effort of our part causes God to give to us everything from salvation to blessings but the Bible teaches He gives because He loves us)
St John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Ephesians 3:17-20 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us
1Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
III. The Lord’s love is our security
(When we are convinced of God’s love, all our present and future rest upon the power of His love. His love holds us safe because all His promises and protection comes from the fact He loves us and wants all things for our benefit)
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 2:4-7 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: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
2Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
2Thessalonians 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
Poisoned
2Kings 4:38-41 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth (famine) in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe (boil, cook) pottage (soup) for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds (cucumbers) his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. But he said, Then bring meal (flour). And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
(This is the account of one of the miracles of Elisha and involves a time of famine. As his disciples were foraging for ingredients to make a big pot of soup, one of them found some wild that looked like cucumbers and cut up several and put them into the pot. But it turned out they were poisonous and they cried out to Elisha “there is death in the pot”. Elisha performed a miracle and they were able to eat what had been poisonous without harm. In this Bible outline study, we will look at the miracle and find some practical points for us today.
I. Poisoned at Gilgal
(And Elisha came again to Gilgal)
(Gilgal was the place where the Israelites first crossed into their promised land after the Exodus from Egypt and was a place of blessing, testimony, deliverance, and victory, a type of salvation. But it was there that Elisha and his disciples found poison. The enemy wages war against us in an attempt to take what God has declared a blessing and times that are holy and turn them into a reproach.)
Joshua 4:19-20 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live (This is God’s will for us to live in blessing and life, not “death in the pot”.)
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
1Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
II. Poisoned by something that looked harmless
(gathered thereof wild gourds (cucumbers) his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage)
(One of the enemy’s subtle tricks is to lie about the poison in the world around us and palm it off as something that will help us, satisfy us, and make us better off.)
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Joshua 7:20-21 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
1John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
III. The antidote to the poison is meal (flour)
(But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot)
(Elisha put what is translated “meal” into the pot which is a type of Christ, the bread of life. Just as when Jesus met the leprous man, touched him, and the man was healed, so our Lord has power over all that is poisonous in our life to heal us and cause us to prosper and be whole.)
St John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
St John 6:48,50-51 I am that bread of life. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever
Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood
St John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
2Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised
The Fight
2Corinthians 7:5-6 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus
(This passage tells us about the struggle Paul and others we enduring while spreading the gospel and it shows while Jesus brings great peace through the Holy Spirit as long as we are in this world there will be opposition to the cross. In this Bible outline study, we look at what the Lord refers to in 1Timothy 6:12,” Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses”. And Paul, when he was wrapping up his ministry in the last part of his life, said in 2Timothy 4:7,” I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”
I. It all started with a fight and this fight is still going strong
(The verses below tell us the struggle extends far from the things of the earth and began in heaven itself when lucifer rebelled against his creator, the Almighty God, and gathered other rebellious angels to himself in the insurrection. Satan and his angelic followers we cast out of heaven and the battle continues to this day)
Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
2Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment
Revelation 12:3-4 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
II. There is a fight among all creation
(The curse extends the struggle into all creation and even in the animal kingdom, there is constant in the food chain. In another sense, the fight is even in the non-animal kingdom as the earth and all its organisms eventually succumb to death and decay)
Genesis 9:2-6 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered…And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
Hebrews 1:10-12 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth (moan jointly, experience a common calamity ) and travaileth in pain together until now.
Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner
III. There is a fight between God’s covenant people and those who belong to the enemy
(It hasn’t been so long that the world saw the struggle between God’s chosen people and the enemy in the rise of Hitler and his murder of millions of Jews. Even 70 years after Jesus came and preached, Jerusalem was destroyed and God’s chosen were dispersed throughout the world to places that came to despise them and desire their destruction. Today we hear the call for the total annihilation of the Jewish nation from many of their enemies)
Luke 21:16-17 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
John 15:18-19 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
John 8:42-44 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
IV. There is a fight inside each believer
(Within us all there is a struggle between the Holy Spirit and our fleshly nature and we fight a personal conflict that only the grace of God and His unfailing Word can help us win)
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary (opposed, in conflict with ) the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
1Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
2Corinthians 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
V. In the midst of all this fighting, God brings comfort
(Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus )
Psalms 55:18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me
Psalms 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
1Samuel 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
My Heavenly Father
Matthew 6:9,” After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name”
(Father’s Day has come and gone again this week and we honored our dads with some gifts, cards, and visits. Those of us whose dads are already passed into heaven and wait for us there, reflected on the good times we had when our dads were with us and if your dad like mine was a Christian, you might have said,” I’ll see you soon dad”. But Father’s Day is always a time to remember our heavenly Father and give thanks that we are so incredibly blessed to call the creator of heaven and earth our Heavenly Father. In this week’s Bible outline study we will look at who we are in relation to the Almighty God, as the Lord’s prayer addresses Him, Our Father who art in heaven.
I. I Am a Child of God
(The world’s view of who we are, just animals not much different than the puppy that’s lying beside me while I type this Bible study, means that we don’t belong to anyone and are just an accident of forces yet unnamed and everything about us is temporary and when our life here is over, we will just cease to be. Their lies leave us with no future beyond this current second and their philosophy is that the earth is far more valuable than our individual lives. But the truth of God’s Word tells me I am a child of God and was created in His image. I have a purpose, I belong to someone, and I have an eternal future)
St John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name
1John 3:2 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.
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
2Corinthians 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
II. I Am Loved by my Father
(The Word of God declares over and over how much my heavenly Father loves me and Romans 8:39 promises nothing can separate me from the love of God)
1John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2Thessalonians 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us
1John 4:10-11 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
III. I Am an Heir of my Father
(As far as eternity is concerned, it belongs to me, and all those who are born again. Heaven is real, it is eternal, and it belongs to those that are children of the heavenly Father through faith in His son Jesus)
Galatians 4:6-7 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
1Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you
Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
The Unnatural Nature of Grace
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
(If we look at grace from a natural point of view, our depravity and blindness are such that we can’t believe such a thing is true because it seems so unnatural. Even those receiving the grace provided under the law couldn’t be content to take it at face value, follow the course it laid out, and go about the business of enjoying their life and God’s blessings. Instead, they cobbled together a “support” system of man’s additions, interpretations, traditions, and beliefs that changed the very intent of the law. In this Bible outline study, we’ll look at some reason grace seems to be unnatural)
I. It’s unnatural because it’s not what our old man wants
(Our natural drive propels us away from the things of God and our flesh is content to toss aside God’s will as if it’s not relevant. We see ourselves as “ok” and others needing to get right with God. We want pleasure and will seek that path even though there’s no real joy or peace. Our natural man hides from God as Adam did and we would rather rebel against the Lord than receive what He offers us for free.)
Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
1Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
II. It’s unnatural because it’s not what religion wants
(If man wants salvation at all, then he wants to have something to do with it if for no other reason than to get the glory for his efforts. Religion provides a method by which people can devise formulas that twist the grace of God into methods and rules that allow them to control a “process” by which people are deceived into believing they have a hand in their own salvation. Some of these plans are very elaborate and focus entirely on salvation achieved by the merits of good works, others are more subtle with many of the rules of expectation unwritten yet conveyed through teaching fear and uncertainty outside the framework of that particular religion. Some even say they are following grace but when you examine their message, the undercurrent of works is still the determining factor of their beliefs.)
Mathew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Nehemiah 9:26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
St John 19:5-6 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
III. It is unnatural because it appears to go against God’s precedents
(There’s another perspective that says God doesn’t really forgive people that easily and points to the wrath of God revealed in His Word against people and nations where He punished or even obliterated humanity for their sin. After all, the thought of Divine judgment where people are thrown into the eternal fire after being confronted with their sin, seems to contradict the very idea that God could remove all our sin if we just repent and ask Him.)
2Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment
Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels
Exodus 25:18-20 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
(But grace remains as the method by which God has chosen to forgive our sin through Jesus Christ. 2Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. What is unnatural to us and our fallen nature, turns out to be the natural nature of our God who loved us so much He gave His only begotten son to die in our place)
Delusion
2Thessalonians 2:8-10-12 And then shall that Wicked ( man of evil ) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(Modern preaching is hiding the truth that the day of grace as revealed and given to the church, is coming to an end. As with all previous dispensations of God’s grace, this one also is ending in apostasy and the unbelievable thing is that in the midst of the falling away (2Thes 2:3), pastors and churches are acting like everything is ok, that all we really need is to allow God to “fix” our personal craziness and ride the wave of His never-ending blessings. This farce is not new because at the time of Israel’s impending doom of their captivity by the Babylonians, their false prophets were telling them everything was ok and that they were God’s chosen people and He would never bring judgment on them. This time around, there is the added prophecy that God will send strong delusion (a straying or wandering from the straight path) the opposite of the work of the Holy Spirit in the day of grace that draws people out of sin to the light of Christ. There is delusion already at work and in this Bible outline study, we’ll look at three examples filling people’s minds with lies and blinding them to the truth.
I. It is a delusion that God is “ok” with our sin
(There is little to no conviction in people’s hearts about their sin. They are quite comfortable and content to practice sin and flaunt their depth of submersion in their iniquity on all social media platforms and accept all forms of deviance as normal and natural. On top of this many people state emphatically they are walking in God’s blessings and will. This is a delusion as the Bible has always declared all sin is against God and He holds the sinner accountable.)
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh (unnatural desire, perversion), are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
1Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind
II. It is a delusion that God is “ok” with any kind of faith
(With most people, they do not believe Jesus is the only way to heaven and even many Christians are no longer certain of this truth because they are being brainwashed by a perverted culture that equates any kind of faith with salvation. The common line of lies is that as long as you believe in something, it doesn’t matter what kind of god, what kind of religion, or what kind of belief system as long as you are “true to yourself” everything is ok. This lie is the same one palmed off on ancient Israel by satan making them believe they could worship the gods of the Canaanites and it would be the same as honoring only Jehovah.)
St. Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
St. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
III. It is a delusion to think there is no judgment
(This is the final straw of delusion because God’s judgment is where the fate of all humans is decided and for this generation that has swallowed the lies mentioned above and all the other ones about their responsibility to answer to their Creator, they believe when their breath leaves their body and they are plunged into eternity, they will not have to stand before God and give an account for themselves. But no matter what lies people believe it will not change the truth of God’s judgment)
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Matthew 22:11-13 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Our Treasure
Proverbs 15:6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
(When we evaluate our lives and decide what we have of value, it’s almost always the things of this world that concern us. We insure our homes, cars, and irreplaceable possessions, ascribing to them some estimated value. We can look up celebrities online and someone has written about their “net worth” and posted pictures of their homes, car collections, and other valuable treasures they have. Hardly ever, if at all, do people consider the treasures held by those belonging to the Lord. This Bible study outline lists some things the scriptures refer to as the treasures of the people of God.
I. A Godly wife and mother is a treasure
(Homes are a mess, to say the least, and in the middle of this mess are people posing as parents. It’s heartbreaking to see the posts on social media of the drunken, worldly examples being offered as mom and dads and to think they are raising the next generation. But the Bible says a virtuous mother (and we can add to that, a godly dad) is a treasure)
Pro 31:10-12 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Pro 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
Pro 12:4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
II. The Holy Spirit in us is a treasure
(To think that God the Holy Spirit lives within every believer is beyond reason yet the Bible says when we belong to the Lord through the new birth, the Holy Spirit moves inside us until we are taken out of this world and out of our bodies. Because we are children of God, we are heirs of eternity, heirs of heaven’s treasures, and heirs of all else in the kingdom of God so if we consider anything on this earth, which we will all leave behind, as treasure, how about the value of the things belonging to us because of our sonship to our heavenly Father? 1Corinthians 2:9, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him”).
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Eph 1:13-14 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.
Rom 8:16-17 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.
III. The Reproach of Christ is a treasure
(This is an odd one because being reproached for our identity with Christ seems more like a curse than a blessing let alone a treasure. But when we glory in the cross, showing we are set apart from this world and its grimy, temporary façade of goodness, we have been made pure and holy by the precious blood of Jesus and our link to Him is often through being reproached for His sake. 2Timothy 2:12,” If we suffer, we shall also reign with him”
Heb 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
IV. Heaven is our treasure
(The more we love the Lord and the things of God, the more we look heavenward because there is our hope, our home, and our treasure. Maybe when we are young here the things of this world have an allure because of their entertainment factors but as we grow in grace and see how quick the things of this world wear out, lose their luster, become outdated, and just simply boring, we start to see through eyes of faith how much greater is the value of that which lies ahead with our Lord. The few descriptions we have of heaven combined with the promises of never aging, never sick, never sad, no more curse, and a place of complete perfection, gives us a clue to its unspeakable glory.)
Mat 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Col 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Storm Preparedness
Isaiah 32:1-2 “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land”.
Every year before and during seasons when storms are a possibility in our area, local TV stations offer information and training for storm preparedness. I would say that people who live near hurricane possible coasts or in areas where tornados are frequent, also have storm possibility on their minds in their peak seasons. How well families are prepared for a storm when it comes bearing down on them, can be a matter of whether or not they survive its fury. This Bible outline study will use storms in the natural to relate to the storms that come into our lives on the spiritual realm and consider how we prepare for them because it’s not if they come, it’s when they come.
I. Do you have a safe shelter?
(Just as we need a safe place to ride out the natural storms, a basement, storm shelter, or an inner room without windows, we need a refuge from the spiritual storms. As the ark was to Noah and his family during the deluge and the rock fortress was to David, Jesus is our shelter.)
Genesis 7:21-23 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
Psalm 62:5-8 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
II. Do you have a supply of food and water?
(Food and water are one of the important parts of being prepared. How many times have we seen truckloads of water being delivered to storm-struck areas? Likewise, to endure the storms of life, we need the Water of Life and the Bread of Life, our Lord Jesus. His Word brings the strength to withstand the winds and floods.)
John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
1Kings 17:14-16 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
III. Are you prepared to say “goodbye” to your stuff?
(Natural storms destroy people’s homes, cars, and possessions. Those who live in storm-prone areas have to make decisions about what they believe they can or can’t live without. Spiritual storms sometimes change our lives in ways we couldn’t imagine beforehand.)
Job 1:20-21 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
1Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Mark 10:21-23 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
Mark 10:23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
IV. Are you ready to Evacuate?
(The best way to stay alive in a life-threatening storm, is to get completely out of its way. There is a storm coming soon the likes of which this world hasn’t seen since the flood, and that’s the rise of the antichrist and the great tribulation. Thank God He’s going to evacuate us out before this storm hits)
1Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
1Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Matthew 24:40-42 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Send Me
Isaiah 6:1-8 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train (long robe) filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; (lost, doomed, destroyed) because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?
Then said I, Here am I; send me.
(The questioning call of God as to who will do His bidding here in Isaiah has been used for centuries to summon people to His work and the response of “Here am I, send me”, has been in the hearts and on the lips of those ready to serve. Yet it isn’t always a complete surrender for many because until we reach the place of total commitment, there are barriers we have to defeat before we are ready to fully follow the Lord. This Bible outline study looks at three of those obstacles with supporting scripture.)
I. Anything except what God wants on His terms
(We have our own ideas of what we are capable or not capable of and our unbelief sees a myriad of reasons why we can’t do God’s will as He presents it.)
Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
(Moses’ reluctance to fully obey God is a classic example of how we see ourselves unsuited to God’s work because of some perceived shortcomings on our part. IN Moses’ case, it was his speech impediment but it might be we think ourselves untalented, unskilled, not educated enough, and so on.)
Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. (youth, young lad)
Malachi 3:14 Ye have said, It is vain (pointless, useless) 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?
(The people’s response here is an insult to God because they’re saying they don’t “get anything” out of serving the Lord. They see their own ways providing them a better payoff than the things God has for them.)
Haggai 1:4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled (well-built), houses, and this house (God’s house) lie waste?
(They are too busy making their own lives the way they want and have no time to be bothered with the Lord’s work.)
II. Anyone except people I don’t like
(Sometimes we don’t want to answer God’s call because we don’t like the people He wants us to encounter or we don’t like their ways or both.)
Matthew 5:43-44 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you
(Believers who follow the Lord’s will to show good to people who are not good to them are demonstrating the depth of God’s love as an object lesson but it’s not a call we want to follow. We want revenge on our enemies, not blessings.)
Jonah 1:1-3 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from (away from) the presence of the LORD.
(Jonah didn’t like the people of Nineveh and wanted them destroyed. He knew the Lord is full of mercy and there was a chance if he preached God’s message, the people might repent and God would spare them so he refused to do God’s will God’s way and ran in the other direction.)
Luke 6:31-34 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? (should you get special thanks for that) for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
(The goodness of God is seen when we show people impartiality: that is, we love them all and do good to them all even those we think don’t deserve it)
St John 4:1-4 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria.
(The Samaritans and Jews despised each other with deep, centuries-old hatred and the Lord crossed a barrier that his disciples didn’t understand at first but He showed God’s willingness to show kindness to people who we despise and set us the example to follow.
III. Anywhere except where I’m uncomfortable
(We talk about our “comfort zones” and when God’s mission calls us out of our place of security, complacency, materialistic ease, and favorite posture, we don’t want to go that route)
Acts 16:22-24 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
(These early Christians followed the Lord into circumstances that cost them much suffering and even their lives. How this differs from much of the preaching today that tells people God’s way is without suffering and sacrifice but is one of great personal creature comforts, luxury, and excess.)
Daniel 3:13-15 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
(We rejoice to hear this story but shrink back if the path the Lord has chosen for us leads into the fire)
Esther 4:13-14 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
(Esther won the favor of the king and was set for life to enjoy all the treasures and affluence available to a queen but the Lord had placed her where she was for His own purpose and that was to retain her identity with her people and stand up for them in their time of persecution. She was faced with the choice to either ignore the call of God on her life and live for selfish interests or take the uncomfortable path the Lord had purposed for her)
All Tangled Up
1Timothy 2:1-3 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour
God wants us to live a quiet and peaceable life but sadly, very few people live this way. Somehow, most people and most families tend to get all tangled in messes and things that cause stress, misery, heartaches, and confusion. The proof of this is the rising levels of anxiety across every age group and every socio-economic group around the world. Even in cultures where there has been, historically, relative happiness and contentment now there is worry, stress, and uncertainty. There are several scriptures that use the word “entangled” and are warnings for us not to get all tangled up and we will use some of them in this outline Bible study.
I. Tangled up in rules for righteousness
God’s plan to make us righteous is simple on our end because God does it for us by covering us with the righteousness of Jesus. But people can’t seem to just accept that as truth and by the time they’re finished with their meddling in God’s stuff, they’ve created such tangled-up teachings they are like quicksand to those that get trapped in them. The key verse of this below is Galatians 5:1 where the Lord warns us against getting tangled up in this confusion. Once we leave the simple doctrine of righteousness imputed to us. A mess of craziness follows.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Acts 13:38-39 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Philippians 3:8-10 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death
II. Tangled up in the pollution of the world
The Lord sets us free from the bondage of sin and the contamination of this world but the enemy is always at work to drag us back into contact with the very things that pollute our minds, consciences, and lives to the place where we are robbed of victory and freedom. God’s will is for us to separate from such things and live simple and free lives unentangled.
2Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1John 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
2Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: hereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
III. Tangled up in the affairs of this life
Here, the traps set for us are not always the enticing sins of this life as it is the activities, the business, the opportunities of involvement that are everywhere around us. The enemy wants us to stay so busy with the routines, the mad-dog pace, the never-ending overloaded schedules of this life that we are trapped by the world’s system that keeps us running from the time we get up until we drop in bed, 7 days a week. This is not God’s will for His people but it is a trap that many people are stuck in, entangled, and can’t seem to break free of.
2Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Genesis 13:10-13 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly
.Luke 14:16-20 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
Maybe you, your children, or someone you know are trying to live a life all tangled up in things that are not God’s will for you and you feel so burdened down you can’t enjoy the simple life of peace and blessing the Lord has for you. Take the above verses and know God has more in store for His people than for us to be enslaved to this world and its mess. Remember the Lord said we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.
Compassion
Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
One definition of compassion is: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
Most people have some feelings of compassion and they experience it at different depths. There are some, on one end of the scale that feel compassion so deeply it is as if they can sense the very pain of those suffering. Then there are those that seldom feel any compassion and appear cold and unconcerned no matter what the plight of others. In the text verse, the Bible says Jesus was “moved” with compassion and the word means he felt pity to the point he groaned inwardly in sympathy. In this Bible outline study, we will look at some reasons to have compassion.
I. Have compassion because our Lord has compassion
Such verses as those below, show us the heart of love our Lord has towards us and are passages we should include in our meditation to gain a better understanding of the will of God towards His creation. We see His mercy and compassion again and again from cover to cover in His Word.
Psalms 78:36-39 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
Mark 1:40-41 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
Psalms 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Lamentations 3:31-33 For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
II. Have compassion because they are us
We all need compassion sometimes and when we see a person suffering, lost, lonely, afraid, or in any circumstance that needs love and compassion we see ourselves reflected in them. The coldness of self-centered pride can block us from identifying with those that are in the grip of things that are pulling at their souls but when we know that they are us, it can move us to be Christ-like to them in their need.
Ephesians 2:1-5 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 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;)
1Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Titus 3:2-6 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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 Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour
III. Have compassion because you don’t know it all
There’ve been times I withheld compassion from people because I thought they’d gotten themselves into their mess and I felt they would just have to dig their way out. But if we judge them, it’s arrogant and foolish on our part for we don’t know all the details. Besides, if not for God’s grace for us in similar circumstances, we’d do the same, and looking back, we have done the same or worse. Our duty is to just help them. The good Samaritan could have looked at the wounded man in the ditch and said “You shouldn’t have come this route, you shouldn’t have been traveling alone, and so on but no matter what caused the problem, the wounded man needed help and the good Samaritan did just that and did it with compassion. Luke 10:33-34,” But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”
1Corinthians 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
Mark 1:32-34 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
The people the Lord was healing and helping here were the societal problem people of his day. In our world, they might be the homeless, the beggars, the estranged mentally ill. But to Jesus, no matter what caused their situation, He was there to aid them.
Luke 8:1-2 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils
Again, these women were probably the weird ones of their community because they were demonically possessed. Maybe they were shunned by others and ridiculed, abused, or completely ostracized. But Jesus wasn’t there to figure out the reasons they came to be in their mess, He came to help them.
Daniel 4:33-34 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
Had we seen this man while he was animal-like, it would have been a mystery as to how he came to such a condition but the truth is, the Lord put him there to humble his heart. God help us always have in view that You are involved in every opportunity we have to bear Your name to those in need and we don’t have to know the details, just love and show compassion.
Psalm 25:17-18 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
IV. Have compassion they may stand before God unsaved
The end result when we show compassion is not just the alleviation of pain but it’s a witness to the goodness of God. The person we are ministering to may not be saved and our words and deeds may be the lifeline of hope to them, pointing them to the Savior. May the Lord help us stop in our moments of opportunity and consider not just the immediate need of a person but their eternal need.
Mark 8:36-37 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Daniel 7:9-10 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
St John 3:35-36 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Things That Are Finished
Romans 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
We’re used to everything in life being in constant motion and everything always changing. In this present age, everything is always changing so fast life is a whirlwind and it feels there is no anchor for us, that we are being swept along and it robs us of that sense of security and stability we crave. It is a comfort to see in God’s Word some things that the Lord declares are finished. In this Bible outline study, we will look at four things that are either finished or we have God’s promise that they will be finished.
I. Creation as revealed in the Bible is finished
When the Lord began creating, He didn’t stop until He was finished and then He hasn’t started creating again but all that He created has remained in motion and is being energized and continued by His will and His Word. Every single atom and particle He created is used for the purpose He ordained and will continue to do so as He has commanded. The dribble of “science falsely so called (1 Timothy 6:20) can not explain this apart from the truth of God’s Word.
Genesis 2:1-2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Romans 1:18-20 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse
II. The work of Jesus Christ as Savior is finished
Jesus came to do the will of God and to complete His work on this earth, He died exactly that then pronounced He was finished. Before His death on the cross, He declared His purpose openly, explained it to His disciples, then He completed it.
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God
III. God will finish his work in me
God doesn’t live according to the restraints of time and space and natural, earthly law: He transcends His creation and while we look at ourselves growing in grace, God sees us as a finished person because He has foreordained who we will be and nothing can stop His purpose. In His view, we are complete, finished.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
Psalms 138:8 The LORD will perfect (complete, finish) that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
1Thessalonians 5:23-24 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
IV. This entire mystery is about to be finished
Just as God sees us as complete, He sees the completion of the mystery of His creation as finished even though from our view there are things yet to come. God planned it all before He created the first speck and He knows the end from the beginning: Isaiah 46:10,” Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure”
Revelation 10:5-7 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
2Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
1Corinthians 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1Corinthians 15:25 Christ must rule until God has put every enemy under his control. The last enemy he will destroy is death. Clearly, God has put everything under Christ’s authority. When God says that everything has been put under Christ’s authority, this clearly excludes God, since God has put everything under Christ’s authority. But when God puts everything under Christ’s authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, since God had put everything under the Son’s authority. Then God will be in control of everything and everything in order.
Here Come the Pharisees
Mark 7:1-2 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
Of all the people the Lord encountered, the group that gave Him the most grief was the largest religious bunch of His day, the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the strictest, appeared the most “spiritual”, and had a reputation for being the closest to God yet this is the group that played the instrumental part in having Jesus put to death. No matter what the Lord did, and He always did what was right and pleasing to His Father, the Pharisees found fault with it and got upset and angry about it. This Bible outline study looks at some events in the life of Christ and showing no matter what He did, “here come the Pharisees”.
I. The Pharisees got all upset when people broke their precious traditions
They took God’s law and added so much to it by way of their interpretations, that their ideas about the law became the traditions for the Jews, and even though God had not given the traditions, the Pharisees placed more emphasis on the traditions than they did the Word of God and held people accountable to them. When they saw the disciples breaking the traditions, they jumped on it and held it against the Lord.
Mark 7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
Mark 2:23-24 And it came to pass, that he went through the cornfields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
Mark 7:6-9 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil (seduce, lead away) you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (theory, proposition) of the world, and not after Christ.
II. The Pharisees got all upset when Jesus ministered to publicans and sinners
The Pharisees were self-righteous and showed no compassion for the people that didn’t measure up to their standards. Our Lord came to seek and save the lost and He was often found in company with people that Pharisees considered “unclean”. When they saw Jesus with these lost sheep, they didn’t like it and found fault with Him.
Matthew 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
Luke 15:1-2 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
Luke 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking, and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
III. The Pharisees got mad when Jesus showed His Deity
When the Lord revealed He was the Son of God, this really upset the Pharisees and this is one of the accusations they used against Him to have Him crucified. They accused Him of blasphemy.
Luke 5:20-21 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
Matthew 9:32-34 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
St John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Matthew 26:63-68 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted (hit with the fist) him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
IV. Jesus didn’t hold back on his words for the pharisees
The Lord exposed the Pharisees for who they really were: wolves in sheep clothing and when He called them out, it was to lay bare the truth that what they claimed was righteous wasn’t righteous at all and their system of rules and traditions didn’t bring people to God but it did the opposite because it offered false hope. All the law and writings of the prophets were given from God to mankind to teach them to love the Lord and to love their fellowmen but the ways of the Pharisees failed on both accounts.
Matthew 23:13-15 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Matthew 23:23-26 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Matthew 23:27-31 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
A Culture Of Fools
Romans 1:22-23,” Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools”
If we take what the world thinks about itself and compare it with what God’s Word says, the comparison shows the two are diametrically opposed. The world’s view is that we are getting wiser, better, more educated, more technologically advanced, wealthier, and every invention and advance is helping us live longer and making our life easier. Another thought that seems to float around, is that we are gradually getting rid of the thought of God and that is making us free from the restrictions of religion that has impeded progress. Among religious circles, we are becoming more tolerant, co-existent, less Bible-centered, and more humanistic. We are abandoning the drumbeat of Christianity that Jesus is the only way to heaven and following other paths which, the word says, will all lead us to heaven, if there happens to be one.
God’s Word shows an entirely different view, one which exposes this world system for what it really is: a helter-skelter culture of fools. One that views itself arrogantly as smart, sophisticated, and free-thinking. One that is proud of its sinful ways, blatant in its blasphemy, open in its apostasy, and vindictive against anyone that dares call it out. In this outline study, we will look at what the Word of God says about this culture of fools.
I. A culture of fools denies God as creator
Psalms 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God
The very beginning of all wisdom is to honor the Lord and follow His ways. (Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever.) and (Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.) We are here on this planet, in time and space, because there is a God that created all things and when the world denies, teaches, and lives as if there is no God, God calls them fools.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him
Psalms 19:1-3 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
According to ABC News, The late Famed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, allegedly one of the smartest people that has ever lived, said definitely that God did not create the universe or spark the Big Bang. In his book, “The Grand Design”, Hawking argued that the universe didn’t need divine inspiration to come into being. “Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing,” writes Hawking. Romans 1:23. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools”
II. A culture of fools embraces sin
Proverbs 14:9 Fools make a mock at sin
Because there is no acknowledgment of the Lord and honor for Him, there is no shame or guilt for sin but rather, the idea of something being sin is mocked. This world honors sin above holiness and righteousness as evident in the themes of music, movies, television, entertainment, and the choices of everyday life. The common ingredients we see now in the fabric of our culture are profanity, gutter-porn, drunkenness, all types of drugs, legalization of drugs, violent attitudes, total family break-down, molestation, and such. There was a time when the culture rejected such elements of sin, enforced laws against them, and actively taught in family circles and even in public schools that such things harm our culture and the individuals that participate in them.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil
Every year in the USAS, our culture spends more than:
587 billion on gambling
80 billion on illegal drugs
58 billion on alcohol
31 billion on tobacco products,
250 billion on the medical treatment to correct disorders caused by the above
III. A culture of fools ignores the impending judgment
Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee
The parable of the rich fool pictures a man that is only focused on what he has in this life and how it can bring him pleasure. But he forgets that this life will soon be over and that he will have to face his creator and account for the life he lived. Because he gave no thought for the inescapable judgment of the Lord, God calls him a fool. This culture of fools do not believe they will answer to God in judgment and they do not believe Jesus is the only shelter from God’s wrath. They literally believe that even if there is a God, he’s not the God of the Bible and will not condemn anyone of anything.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
We are a culture of fools. At best, we are practicing atheists who may say there might be a God but even if there is, we live as if there is no God. Sin is no longer an issue to us and we have twisted our view of the Almighty Creator and eternity so we can bypass judgment.
The Resurrection of Jesus
Matthew 28:5-6 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Every Easter, we look back to the events of the Lord’s betrayal, arrest, torture, crucifixion, and resurrection and there are a lot of Bible studies and sermons to help focus our thoughts on that glorious time. All the details of these happenings are imperative to our faith and form the basis of what we believe in order to be saved. But of those, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the finale of God’s plan to redeem us and procures the promise that death is not in our future but everlasting life. In this outline study, let’s look at some points of the resurrection and know that the plan the Lord executed is foolproof to secure our eternal destination with our Heavenly Father forever.
I. Without the resurrection of Jesus there is no salvation
If Jesus had suffered, bled, and died for our sins but didn’t rise from the dead, there would be no eternal salvation for us because death would still have the dominion over us. Even if the forgiveness of sin had been accompanied with extra-long life and we were able to live hundreds of years like the ancients, death would still have reigned over us and there would have been no hope of eternal life.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (The salvation plan can’t be received without faith in Jesus’ resurrection: It’s faith in it all or there’s no salvation at all)
1Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (Again, the truth that without the resurrection our faith would be useless no matter what we believe. Think about all the religions and religious belief systems apart from the glorious resurrection of Jesus from the dead and consider the hope they purport to offer: none!)
Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Here, the resurrection is tied to our justification, meaning “to be regarded as innocent”)
II. The resurrection of Jesus is the guarantee of victory over death
All people have been born in different ages, under different societies and governments, on different continents, of all colors, socioeconomic orders, religious belief systems, intelligence levels, and so on but there is one common denominator: death. Death struck the root of the human tree through sin and held its grip from Adam to Christ but the resurrection of Jesus gave Him the keys of death and hell and death lost its power over God’s people forever.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses
Rom 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Romans 6:9-11 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Matthew 27:52-53 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
1Corinthians 15:20-22 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive
III. The resurrection of Jesus means the best is yet to come
Through Jesus, we are blessed in this life and have everything to rejoice about. Our needs are met, we have the Holy Spirit living within us and we walk in victory but the Bible says in 1Cor 15:19,” If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” and this foreshadows that the life that is to come, where we with all the saints of God will live forever in His presence in a condition that the Bible describes in 1Cor 2:9,” But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
1Corinthians 15:42-44 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Corinthians 15:49-52 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Corinthians 15:53-57 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1John 3:2 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.
Jesus: Friend of Sinners or Separate From Sinners?
Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens
Luke 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
Matthew 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
Luke 19:7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
The Bible says Jesus is separate from sinners and also that He is a friend of sinners. At first this seems like a contradiction and makes us ask the questions: Which is He, and can he be both? This study shows that Jesus, our example, is both a friend of sinners but is separate in many ways and we will list three of these ways
I. Jesus was separate from sinners in his life’s ambition
Jesus didn’t live His life to please Himself or to follow His own ambitions, goals or desires. This sets Him apart because Proverbs 21:2 says, Every way of a man is right in his own eyes. We all , to one extent or another, seek our own will.
Hebrews 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.
John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
John 5:30 I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
What is your life’s ambition? If you answer this question honestly, it will be that there are times when we want the Lord’s will to be done and we want all the areas of our life to be totally dedicated to His purpose and plan but we do not walk in that way consistently or often.
II. Jesus was separate from sinners in His view of sin
Jesus was without sin and as God, He hates sin. The Bible says He came to destroy the works of the devil.
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
John 8:11 …And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Jesus had compassion on this woman and in the interaction shown in the story, we can see He was a friend to her but His words, “go and sin no more” reveals his view of sin and the sinner is God’s will that we should not continue in our sin.
What do you think? Is sin “ok” …? We always see sin on a gradient scale, some are worse than others and concerning our own sin, we minimize or ignore what we chose to downplay and justify our sin by comparing ourselves to others who appear worse sinners than we.
III. Jesus was separate from sinners in that He carried, not His own sin, but OUR sin
The Lord was sinless but He took our sin upon Himself. In the eyes of the Father, the guiltless Christ became the guilty us. While this may not fit our idea of carrying out justice: To allow the innocent to suffer in the sinner’s place, it was God’s plan to redeem us because we couldn’t do it ourselves
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness
1John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
What The World Is Saying To God
Job 21:14-15 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
Did you ever think about what God hears from the people in the world He created? When they think about God or speak about him what message do they send to the Creator of all things? In these verses in Job, there are three statements that people direct to God and many people we know today are saying at least one of these things.
I. Leave us alone. We do not want to know Your ways (Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways)
In Romans 1:28, the Bible says people can reach a place where they do not even want the thought of God in their mind. It is a place where God is pushed away because they don’t want to hear what He is saying to them. They may believe He exists but they have no intention to follow and worship Him. They are telling God, “Go away”.
St John 3:19-20 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Job 24:13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
Zechariah 7:11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
Proverbs 1:24-25 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof
II. Who are You, and why should we serve You? (What is the Almighty, that we should serve him)
These are people who don’t even believe God exists and the Bible classifies them as fools in Psalms 14:1 and 53:1, “the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God”. In spite of the creation that testifies to His existence, they will explain away the God of heaven and earth and imply that anyone who acknowledges Him, is really the fool.
Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
Psalm 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Romans 1:21-22 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools
Isaiah 47:10 For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.
1Corinthians 1:18-21 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent (human reasoning, sagacious). Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer (teacher of philosophy, a person who reasons with clever but fallacious arguments.) of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
III. Why should I waste my time praying to You? (what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?)
People may say they believe in God and they may speak of Him but when it comes down to how they really respond to Him, they don’t believe He is a God that is personally connected to His creation and that He will hear our prayers and answer them on our behalf according to His will. They might think there’s a God up there somewhere but their mindset is: I’m on my own and He will only help those who help themselves.
Luke 11:5-10 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Psalms 91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
Romans 10:12-13 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich (richly blesses) unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
Psalms 66:19-20 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Hebrews 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared (devout reverence);
The Tears Of Jesus
Isaiah 53:3-5 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
This passage in Isaiah describes the humanity of our Lord and tells of the sorrow He carried upon Himself on our behalf. The suffering of Christ was not just at the cross, but throughout His life as He experienced ever area of being one with us. When God became man in Jesus Christ, He could identify with us all in every aspect of our being, even to the point of tears. To think about God crying when He entered the world as a human is something to contemplate especially when we want to know He understands our many painful and frustrating situations. In this study, we look at the times Jesus cried and what that means to us in our journey
I. Jesus shed tears at our human predicament
A lot can be said about when Jesus arrived at the tomb of Lazarus during the time of mourning, but it’s here we find the shortest verse of the Bible: Jesus wept. Some say it’s because of their unbelief, others say it was because of His love for this family but I believe it was a combination of all the above and more. He was identifying with the human predicament: of our unbelief, the effects of the curse, the sorrow we have when someone we love passes, our fragility and the overall trouble we all face as humans.
(John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. )
John 11:33-35 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 2:16-18 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (aid, relieve, help) them that are tempted.
Mark 1:40-41 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
II. Jesus shed tears at the Jewish people’s rejection of salvation and the coming destruction
The Lord had presented Himself to the Jews in the love of God, healing the sick, delivering the captive, feeding the hungry and binding up the broken and was rejected in all points. He knew that ahead of Him lay the suffering of the cross at the very hands of the people He loved. His sorrow here is not only knowing the pain of rejection but knowing what was ahead for the city and its people: complete destruction by the Roman army.
Luke 19:41-44 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
Matthew 23:37-38 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Luke 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled
III. Jesus shed tears as He submitted every fiber of His being to the will of His Father
Here, the night of His betrayal and the eve of horrible suffering leading to His death, our Lord totally emptied Himself of His own will and totally submitted to the suffering and pain ahead. He was about to face hours which would end with Him being totally separated from every other person including His Father who would turn His back on Him. This intense and indescribable moment brought Him to tears that were shed as great drops of blood on our behalf. He was crying, suffering and finally dying on our behalf.
Hebrews 5:5,7-8 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.
Luke 22:41-44 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Philippians 2:7-8 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross
1Peter 2:22-24 Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit), found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
3 Tares That Are Deceiving People
Matthew 13:24-30 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares (darnel: false grain) among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Tares are weeds that look like wheat and to the untrained eye, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference until they are grown and then the seed of the wheat reveals it’s identity. In this parable, the enemy came by stealth in the night and polluted the field of wheat with the weeds. It is a parable showing a picture of the world where satan has infiltrated the things of the Lord and planted people who appear to be followers of Jesus but they aren’t. In this Bible study, we will look at three tares that present themselves as disciples of the Lord but they aren’t and often they deceive people by their illusions.
I. The Tare of the Hireling
A hireling is someone whose motive is money and their primary goal is to serve their own desires. These can range from people who see the ministry as a career and will go to wherever the reward or pay is the greatest.
John 10:12-13 But he that is an hireling (wage worker) and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
1 Corinthians 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge (costless, gratuitous) that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
1Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind
Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Don’t do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don’t do it for money, but out of a desire to serve.
II. The Tare of the Ego
People motivated by their ego do not have the God-given desire to serve people but are in it for whatever makes them popular, gives them power or authority and makes them feel important or good about themselves. Self-image is vastly more important to them than obeying the will of God.
3John 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence (ambitious of distinction) among them, receiveth us not.
Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Ephesians 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
III. The Tare of Universalism
These are the people and their teaching that Jesus isn’t the only way to heaven, He is just one of many. This belief and its prophets will not usually deny the Lord but they will not accept what He did on the cross as the only payment for sin. By denying His atonement as the only door to heaven, they are denying that only the blood of Jesus can take away our sin.
Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 3:35-36 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
1John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Will You Worship Him?
This week’s Bible study is a question, “Will You Worship Him?”, and an outline of Bible texts that show why Jesus should be worshiped. Jesus is seen by people from many different points of view: from denying his existence or seeing him as just a man, seeing him as a symbolic figure, believing he is an angel or believing he is a concept and moral code. The Bible declares who He is and when we are confronted with It’s Words, how will we respond? Will we worship him?
Matthew 2:1-2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Matthew 2:10-11 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
I. Is Jesus the Son of God?
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Mark 3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
Matthew 16:13-16 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
St John 11:25-27 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
II. Does God’s creation worship Jesus?
Hebrews 1:5-6 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Revelation 5:11-14 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
III. Will you worship Him?
Matthew 8:1-3 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Matthew 9:18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
Matthew 15:22-25 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Mark 5:2-6 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
Matthew 28:5-9 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And 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. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
People Who No Longer Have True Feelings
Ephesians 4:17-19 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
It’s not that people don’t have any feelings, but that their feelings have been changed from those that would help them choose right over wrong to those that are so mixed up they are chaos. When our world feels more sorrow for the destruction of trees and animals than they do for the destruction of children, something is bad wrong. When we are more passionate about the condition of the environment than we are for the condition of our souls, we have our feelings out of order. This is not saying that the world around us shouldn’t be protected, but that we have the wrong priorities and our feelings are very confused.
The phrase “being past feeling” here, means to be apathetic, removed far away, burned out, to cease to feel pain and refers to a person who is no longer able to have any sense of remorse for their wrong-doings and willingly submerge themselves into blatant sin. How do people get to this point? Let’s look at some scripture and let God’s Word cast light.
I. They have no feelings because of a hardened conscience
1Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared (cauterized ) with a hot iron
Titus 1:15-16 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled (contaminated ). They profess that they know God; but in works they deny (contradict ) him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Hebrews 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
II. They have no feelings because they have cast aside the Word of God
Psalms 119:9 Wherewithal ( in what way and by what means ) shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed ( put up a hedge, guard, protect, save ) thereto according to thy word.
Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD
Zechariah 7:9-12 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
III. They have no feelings because they are no longer convicted
Rom 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
And because they thought it was worthless to acknowledge God, God allowed their own immoral minds to control them. So they do these indecent things. Their lives are filled with all kinds of sexual sins, wickedness, and greed. They are mean. They are filled with envy, murder, quarreling, deceit, and viciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, haughty, arrogant, and boastful. They think up new ways to be cruel. They don’t obey their parents, don’t have any sense, don’t keep promises, and don’t show love to their own families or mercy to others. Although they know God’s judgment that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do these things but also approve of others who do them.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth ( opposes, holds down/back ), will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(The mystery of this sin is already at work. But it’s being held back until the person now holding it back gets taken out of the way. Then the man of sin will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will destroy him by the words from his mouth. When the Lord Jesus comes, his glory will put an end to this man. The man of sin will come with the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous and wonderful signs. But they will be lies. He will use everything that God disapproves of to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them. That’s why God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe a lie. Then everyone who did not believe the truth, but was delighted with what God disapproves of, will be condemned.)
The Feet Of Jesus
Matthew 15:30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them
Have you ever seen someone bow at another person’s feet ? In ages past, when kings ruled and had absolute power, it was customary to bow at their feet but it is not normal in our society because we believe we are all created equal and we do not submit ourselves to anyone in this manner. Yet many times people were found bowing, falling and laying at the feet of Jesus. All types of people and different situations. What does it mean ? A lesson can be learned from each example and we will look at those given in the book of St Luke.
I. It is a place for penitent sinners
Luke 7:37-38 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Jesus is a friend of sinners and there’s no better place to find love, forgiveness and mercy than kneeling at His feet. This account in Luke 7, tells about a woman who needed the forgiveness of our Lord and came kneeling at His feet and although the story goes on to tell how she was judged and spoken against by the self-righteous Pharisees, Jesus welcomed her into His presence and at His feet and put her story in the Word of God as a reminder that He came to rescue those who were in the chains of sin. Can you remember when you came, knowing you needed a Savior and found forgiveness? He is willing and able to forgive our sins and make us new creations. The Bible says, if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to firgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
II. A place for people in their right minds
Luke 8:35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
The wild , demon-filled man met Jesus and the Lord showed him mercy, cast out the demons, restored his tormented mind and established a relationship with him. When we are saved by grace and know what Jesus has done for us, there’s no better place to thank Him than kneeling at His feet. To think that we can have a place of fellowship at the feet of our Lord, the creator of heaven and earth, is amazing in itself but to know that we are welcome there to worship and praise Him is the greatest comfort that can be had. We can worship standing, sitting, driving in the car and anywhere else but there needs to be times when we just kneel at the feet of Jesus and pour out our gratitude for who He is and what He has done for us. He alone is worthy.
III. A place for desperate broken hearts
Luke 8:41-42 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying.
Every one of us has been or will be at a place where we are desperate or broken hearted. In Jairus’ case, he was a man of prestige and honor among the people but his only child, a little daughter, was dying. Perhaps before all this happened, he and his family was enjoying their life and all the perks that came with his position but suddenly his world was plunged into a nightmare of darkness and fear. There is a place for us when the weight of the situation we’re in is more than we cam take. As the words of the old hymn say, “ In times like these, we need a Savior. In times like these we need an anchor”. We are welcome at the feet of Jesus to find help for our anguished hearts.
IV. A place for those who seek the truth
Luke 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
There is nowhere on this earth that has absolute truth and perfect wisdom except from the Lord Jesus Christ. People will quote other people as if they have all the answers. We will put our trust in science, the medical profession, the educational system and the intellects of this world and all of them fail, some of them are liars and none of them have the complete plan to navigate this life and none of them have a way to obtain eternal forgiveness and eternal life. But Jesus has the Words of life, He is all wisdom and He holds the future in His hands. The Bible says if we need wisdom, ask the Lord and He will give it to us.
V. A place to give thanks
Luke 17:15-16 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
When we stop and consider that all we are and all we hope to be, we owe it all to Jesus. He has saved us, He is preserving us, He is preparing a place for us to be with Him forever. At the feet of Jesus, like this leper that was healed of his horrible disease, is the place to give thanks. He will not refuse you that spot, He will not mock your desire, He will not ignore your despair and He will not limit your stay.
Blinded
2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
I.The love of God is hidden from them
God reveals His love for us through His son, Jesus and that love is freely given to all. Unsaved people can’t see the depth of God’s love for them because the enemy has blinded their minds and they either see God as unapproachable because of the greatness of their sin, or they miss the point completely because of the mass confusion about the plan of salvation that has resulted from so many religions and so many different human-made points of view. But God’s love for us is not a friendly slap-on-the-back camaraderie, it is a love so profound, so deep and so intense it caused Him to allow His only begotten Son to die in our place. This unwavering, sacrificial love needs to be seen by a world that is blind to it. The Bible teaches the goodness of God brings us to repentance (Rom 2:4) and this goodness is expressed in His love for us.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth (showed, proved, demonstrated) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 4:7-11 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation (make the payment) for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Ephesians 2:4-7 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: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
II. God’s willingness to forgive is hidden from them
The Lord is not reluctant to save, but it’s His main purpose. From the beginning of creation when man was plunged into sin, until now, in the age of the church, God has been in the business of saving people and that’s His main goal. He’s not trying to keep people out of heaven but has the doors wide open to anyone that will call on the name of the Lord. This purpose of God is revealed in the person of Jesus:
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
If we miss this point, we miss the meaning of the entire Bible because the Old Testament points us to Jesus and the New Testament is His story and purpose.
Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Psalm 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. (He knows what we are made of; he remembers that we are dust.)
The Lord doesn’t expect us to be anything other than we are: created beings and imperfect. This is exactly why He wants to save us. He loves us and knows we are unable to save ourselves.
1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD’S mercies (gracious, steadfast love) that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Jeremiah 31:34 for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
III. The assurance of son-ship is hidden from them
Not only does the Lord love us and want to save us, His plan for us is that we become children of God and inhabit eternity with Him as His family. This has always been His plan and it existed in His purpose for us before the world began. This very thought that the creator of all things loves us, wants to save us and has an eternal plan for our eternal future that makes us heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ is hidden from lost people.
2Cor 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Romans 8:16-17 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;
Hebrews 13:5 …for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
IV. The wages of sin is hidden from them
when it is all over and time dissolves into eternity, the end result will be that saved people will be with Jesus forever and the lost will receive the wages of sin. No matter our views of the Bible, God, eternity, political correctness, reluctance to warn people of God’s judgment or whatever may be the case, the God’s Word is clear about the finality of of the end: sin will be punished. Most people are convinced that their sin will not be punished. They may believe other people’s sin will be punished, but there is a blindness in them that will not allow them to see their sin as something that will receive it’s wages of death. This blindness has caused people to self-edit their own lives and they see themselves as “pretty good”. But God’s Word will not be altered by man’s opinions or ideas.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gifet of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Revelation 20:12-14 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Jesus' Mission Statement
Luke 4:16-19 “ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. “
Most churches and ministries develop a mission statement. It describes their burden to serve the Lord in whatever field they have been called. Sometimes it’s an inner-city ministry with an emphasis on reaching the homeless and downtrodden and their mission statement will reflect this. It might be a youth ministry anointed to reach young people and this will be defined in their mission statement. But whatever the ministry, each one God plants is unique and the Holy Spirit gives the power and direction for their efforts.
When Jesus began His ministry, He delivered His first message in His hometown and it included His mission statement as recorded here. If we break it down into its components, it is clear just what the Heavenly Father had purposed for His Son and that mission statement might be exactly what He would have as a foundation for every ministry on earth.
I. To preach the gospel to the poor
The heart of God reaches out to the poor and He promises great blessings upon those who minister to poor people. Remember the promises in
Ps 41: “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.”
These are powerful promises for those who have a heart for the poor and any person or ministry that ignores this outreach will miss God’s best for them. James 2:2 tells us that if we favor those who have wealth and prestige over the poor we are evil in our thoughts. And consider the Word of God in
Luke 14:13-14 “But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”
Again, promise from God that doing good to the poor will be remembered and rewarded.
The ministry of Jesus centered around poor and common people. Even His disciples were not chosen from the wealthy and elite, but from common stock. As far as His earthly connections were concerned the Jesus our Savior was called a carpenter, a common working man. God loves the poor and in fact He said it is difficult for rich people to go to heaven because they trust in their riches.(Mt 10:17-25)
Heaven’s door is open to the poor and anyone else who will believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
II. To heal the broken hearted
At sometime or another we have all been broken hearted and the Lord has compassion on people who are grieving and sorrowful of heart. At the tomb of Lazarus, when Jesus witnessed the grief that Lazarus’ sisters had and the crying and mourning of the people around them, Jesus wept. Those who are suffering the pain of a wounded and broken heart have the Savior’s attention and His mission statement includes them. He loves the children, broken parents, desperate addicts, fallen sons and daughters, disgraced people, repeat offenders, outcasts, unwanted and those labeled “hopeless”. Jesus is for them not against them. He said He came to heal the broken hearted and that is is mission. See His encounter with a man who was suffering the heartbreak of the illness and then death of his only little daughter
Luke 8:41-42 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying
And as Jesus made His way to see the young girl, that was when a woman who had been sick for twelve years and had spent every penny she had on doctors but got continually worse, reached out to Jesus and touched the hem of His robe and was instantly healed: Jesus came to heal the broken hearted and just as she was sick physically, her physical illness had broken her in every way but Jesus fulfilled His mission statement in her and then by raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead.
Every day God’s people come in contact with those who are broken hearted and the Lord wants to use us to reach them with love and acceptance. It’s our mission and it ‘s what Jesus came to do. He did it when He was on the earth and now He’s doing it through the people and ministries that bear His name.
III. To preach deliverance to the captives
Do you know someone who has an addiction? Do you have an addiction? Alcohol, drugs, pornography, food, gambling and any other thing or substance that holds a person in bondage can be broken by the power of Jesus because He said He came to set captives free. The power of sin can’t be broken by human ability. We may control our passions to a degree but the Bible says we are enslaved to sin and held captive by it’s power. Chains fall off when lives are touched by the power of Jesus. Strongholds and broken in the power of His name. Hope is restored to those who were held in bondage.
Heb 2:14-15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he (Jesus) also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he (Jesus) might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
People don’t intend to become enslaved and controlled by substances and things but it’s our nature to follow those paths. Some sink so deeply into the pits of their sin they lose the voice to even cry out for help but the Lord hears them when people can’t. Sometimes the addictions and problems are so strong and have been going on so long people have given up on themselves and people around them have quit trying to help but nothing is too hard for Jesus. He came to set the captives free. The account of the wild man in St Mark is a good example of who He is.
Mark 5:2-5 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
This man was over the edge and people had tried to help him by tying him up but he was still held captive by the devil. Jesus set him free and changed his life so completely the wild man returned home and lived a normal life.
IV. The recovering of sight to the blind
Jesus healed those who were physically blind and also those who were spiritually blind. The physically blind also become a symbol for those who can’t see spiritually. In Jesus’ day, there were many religious people who believed they were right with God because they did religious things. The Pharisees were one such group. Everything they did was devoted to being religious down to the tiniest detail but the Lord called them blind and told them they were blind leaders of blind people. He told them their problem is ,they would remain blind because they wouldn’t admit their blindness but kept saying they could see.
When people hear the gospel and begin to understand their condition and God’s plan for them through Jesus Christ, that understanding is the opening or their eyes. It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that this miracle takes place and when their eyes are opened and they see Jesus for who He is, their vision is cleared and they have hope. An example of Jesus healing a blind is seen in Mark 10.
Mark 10:46-47 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
The cry for mercy came to the ears and heart of the Lord and His ears are still open to the cries of people who are in need.
V. To set at liberty them that are bruised
The word bruised means crushed,wrecked, broken,cracked,melted,divorced and is a picture of someone who has completely disintegrated. The word liberty means to forgive, pardon, deliver and set free. Sometimes we think people have fallen too far, that they are suck a mess and have done so much they can never get fixed but Jesus mission statement reveals He can reach those who are so far down, who have made such a mess of their lives, who are so broken there seems to be nothing left and who have completely fallen to pieces. In John 4, Jesus met a woman at a well whose life was a mess.
John 4:16-18 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
She was coming to the well in the middle of the day: after all the other women of the town had come and gone for the day perhaps because of her reputation but Jesus came to rescue those who are crushed and wrecked. By the time she finished talking to the Son of God, she was transformed and was a believer, so much that she went to tell others about Him. And remember the woman with the issue of blood that had been sick twelve years?
Mark 5:24-26 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse
This woman had no one to help her and had reached the end of her means to help herself but Jesus came for people exactly like her.
VI. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord (and to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness)
Until Jesus came, those who came to God under the law, did so by going to the priest, the priest offered a sacrifice for them and appeared in the presence of God for them. There was no contact between God and people except through the priest. Jesus changed all that. He was God in human flesh and through Him, all those who trust in Him have access in to the very presence of God. His coming announced that God was ready to meet face to face with His creation. He is called “Emmanuel” which means “God with us”. The kindness of the Lord is shown not only to His people Israel, but now the door is open to the Gentiles. This is the mystery of the church: Jews, Gentiles, male, female, bond and free all united by the blood of Jesus. God’s love, mercy and compassion poured out on us and the giving of the Holy Spirit to indwell believers demonstrates God’s will to give eternal life to those who will trust in His Son. We deserved death but the Lord gave us life. We deserved punishment but the Lord gave us blessing. We deserved to be separated from God but the Lord brought us face to face with the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth in a father/child relationship. In Mark 6, The Word of God reveals Christ’s love for us.
Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd
He knows who we are, what we are, where we are and He still loves us and shows us mercy and kindness
Jesus’ mission statement isn’t about buildings, programs, fund raising for a new parking lot or any of the things we get too preoccupied with. All that stuff has it’s place and let’s not forget it will pass away. The Lord’s mission statement is about people and that’s where the heart of God reaches out.
Our Best Life
1Peter 3:10-11 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile (trickery, deceit): Let him eschew (avoid) evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue (pursue) it.
No matter how many times someone says to us “have a good day”, the choice is really up to us and this passage sets the formula for God’s will for us to love our life and have good days. Notice the verse says that we can actually LOVE our life. This is a far cry from what many people endure every day, they hate their life and every day is a mess. God is our Father and just as we as parents want our children to have a life they love and enjoy good days, our heavenly Father who loves us much more than we can imagine, wants our life to be filled with love and joy. He wants us to live our best life
When your children make bad choices or get into miserable situations, doesn’t it make you hurt for them and want them to be in a better situation? Wouldn’t you sometimes like to take the load off them and bear it yourself just because they are precious to you? Remember that God has given us His Word to help us create a life that we love to live and each day have victory. Because He has given us freewill and the ability to make our own decisions about matters, He will not do it for us automatically but has given us His promise that if we will choose to follow His Word, we can live our best life. God’s Word breaks it down here into a clear, distinct plan.
I. The words we speak matter greatly
What comes out of our mouth sets the atmosphere and direction for our life and our day. The book of James talks about how unruly the tongue is and that when we can control our words, we have self-control over our entire being.
James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
When we speak evil things whether cursing, accusing others, showing a bad attitude, complaining, arguing, using vulgar and coarse language, telling jokes and making remarks that are shameful and grieving to the Holy Spirit and so on, we are setting ourselves up for a life that is not in God’s will and under His favor. We are also setting a pattern that will rob us of the good life God has planned for us and we will fall far short of our best life. Also, when we use words to trick and deceive people either by telling lies or choosing to deceive by withholding truth, it separates us from God’s plan for us and causes distrust and uncertainty in all our relationships and prevents us from receiving the blessings that are promised to those who are honest and trustworthy. These things also cause God’s chastisement for us because we are willfully disobeying His Word and grieving the Holy Spirit. Besides being a bad witness and harming others, these words we speak are poison to us and those around us. Let’s keep it foremost in our mind that the words we speak have the ability to bring life and encouragement to others and our own self or power to hurt and destroy. You have probably read:
Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue
We can use our words to speak goodness, favor and blessing to people and be a good witness for the Lord or we can use words to tear down, weaken, wound and cast a reproach on the God we belong to and represent. It’s weird but there are people who seem to take pleasure in using their words to hurt and destroy but in the end, their reward will be that they sow those seeds right back into their own life and will reap a harvest of pain and corruption. May the Lord help us to see that by choosing to use our words to bring blessing and honor, we will ourselves sow the seed for a life we can love and days that will give us goodness and joy.
II. The choices we make concerning good and evil matter greatly
The word eschew, as in to eschew evil, means to avoid, decline and run away from. In the latter meaning, to run away from, it brings to mind Josephs’ response when he was boldly propositioned by Potiphar’s wife in Genesis 39, he ran away from her. In other cases, it means to turn aside from what we know is evil and refuse to be influenced by its power, demands and enticements. When we decline evil that’s within our reach, it honors the Lord and brings His blessing on us and although evil may seem to have its allure, the end of the matter if we chose to give in to it, is harm and destruction. But the will of God for us is to choose to do good in everything. To simply do what’s right, without fanfare or thought of reward, is to honor God and it is very much a factor in the quality of our life and the goodness of our daily outlook. One example of this principle was given to Israel in Deuteronomy:
Deut 6:18-19 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken.
And in Psalms 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good. The scripture is filled with encouragement to us to make our choices in every circumstance and situation to honor God and do what is right and turn away from evil. Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:44, to even do good to our enemies. There’s never a time in a Christian’s life when it’s OK to choose evil and refuse to do good. We may not feel it’s fair to do good even when we have opportunity to get even with an enemy, get a reward for something that should have been ours but was held back or to join in with others because everyone else is doing it and seems to be having a good time. God sees, knows and will reward those who choose to turn away from evil and choose do good.
III. Our decision to want peace and follow its ways matters greatly
Our Lord taught what we refer to as “The Beatitudes” and one of those teachings that relates to our study today, is:
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
And again,
Romans 12:18-21 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
A life free of strife and fighting is a life you and your family can love and it will set you up for good, peaceful days that are a blessing and a joy. That doesn’t mean you will be able to make peace with everyone, but those you are unable to make peace with, the Bible says to get away from them and avoid their company. Sometimes this may be people in your own family that are intent on mayhem and strife or a neighbor that’s always picking a fight or perhaps a coworker that is always in a ruckus with someone. Avoid them, get away from them and whenever possible do not engage these people in their patterns of unpeaceful behavior.
When we choose a life of peace, we choose the path that will reduce the stress in our life, our home, our marriages and our relationships and our overall quality of life will rise. Imagine days in your life where there’s no fussing, no anger, no intents of revenge, no arguments and no crazy messes of people choosing sides and forming battlelines. We could actually love a life like that. When we choose to associate with peaceful people and look for ways that promote peace, it causes our days to be blessed and less confusing. Everyone benefits and our families are closer, children have more fun and we learn to love each other, forgive each other and respect each other which is God’s will for us.
I want to love my life, don’t you? I want to have good days filled with honesty, goodness and peace, don’t you? The Lord has laid out the formula clearly here and when we choose to take it by faith and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, follow its teaching, we can live a life we love and day after day call every day good. This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. We will be living our best life.
A Grace-Strong Heart
Hebrews 13:9 “Be not carried about with divers (various) and strange (unusual) doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established (stabilized, made unmovable, strong) with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.”
The book of Hebrews and the Book of Galatians are similar in their scope. Both were written to show how the grace of Jesus Christ is the way we now come to God. Hebrews, as the title implies, was written to the Hebrews, Jewish people who had known for centuries that access to God was through the faith in and practice of, the law given to them through Moses. The book of Hebrews lays out the teaching that reveals Jesus is better than angels, better than Moses and better than the law with its ordinances and priesthood. The book of Galatians was written to people of the church of Galatia who were being taught that faith in Jesus was not enough in itself to please God: that it was necessary to also keep at least portions of the Old testament law to satisfy God’s will. The conclusion of both books is that God is now only and completely satisfied with the sacrifice that Jesus paid on the cross and adding or taking anything away from faith in that, is what Galatians calls “another gospel” and is not the gospel at all.
The scripture above, Hebrews 13:9, warns not to be influenced by various and unusual doctrines. As it was then, so is it now: there are always many and conflicting doctrines, all of which have their leaders and followers and claim to be absolute truth. The ones here, appear to be referring to the teaching that there is merit in following dietary guidelines of Levitical law or in keeping the ceremonial feasts and their prescribed foods as laid out in the law. The Word of God then declares that our hearts should be established, made strong, with grace and not by believing our efforts to reconcile to God is somehow strengthened by obeying the law. The Bible says that such efforts do not profit those that make it their path of faith. Even though this is God’s plan for us, there are still people who fight against grace-strong heart teaching by implying those that follow it are giving people a “license to sin”. It is THEY who are giving permission to sin for if their teaching is promotes the idea that our salvation or even our acceptance and favor of God is in any way linked to human efforts, it frustrates the grace of God and implies our efforts are needed to satisfy God concerning forgiveness and righteousness. A heart strong in grace is God’s will for us, totally apart from human effort. Jesus paid it all, Jesus keeps us all and when we stand before God on that day, we will not be saying “Jesus and I give me the right to enter heaven”. Here are a few ways a grace-strong heart is of great value.
- A Grace Strong Heart does not fear life’s circumstances
It’s not our abilities, our good “luck” or our own wisdom that gives us the win over life’s circumstances. The pride of the human heart and the evil fire of the human tongue try to take the credit for all aspects of our life and make us boast that somehow, we are the one that should get the credit for our life’s success. And when we can’t seem to control our situations, fear steps in to tell us we are powerless, we’re not strong enough of skilled enough and we’re going to fail, lose and fall defeated. But a grace-strong heart knows that we belong to God and He will never fail us. There’s nothing He hasn’t foreseen and nothing He can’t control. We have His Word on it:
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (This means ALL, not part of it, some of the time and mostly. All things include everything that looks good, all that seems bad and everything in between)
Psalms 46:1-3… God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains tremble with the swelling thereof. (The Lord is called The Rock, The Shelter, The Hiding Place, The Defense and He will always be for us and never against us. There’s no power greater than Him and no situation outside His control. Rebuke the fear and stand strong in God’s grace.)
Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful (hesitant) to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.(The scripture is filled with examples like this one, of impossible circumstances that God’s people were in and then the Lord shows up and delivers them.)
- A Grace Strong Heart is not controlled by the opinions of people
Romans 3:4 …yea, let God be true, but every man a liar (not that everything man says is a lie, but that everything God says is eternally true. People will tell us anything and everything. They are fallible, misinformed, often flat wrong and sometimes flat-out lying. A grace-strong heart trusts firmly in the Lord and refuses to be poisoned, brainwashed or controlled by people and their opinions.)
Psalms 3:2-3 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. ( If we expect everyone to love us and support us, we’re in for a rude awakening. People will kick us to the curb, trash us to our face and behind our back, mock us and our family and sometimes delight in our tribulations. A grace-strong heart knows their opinions and wicked tongues are there because we are a child of the King and they persecuted Jesus when He was on the earth and He was perfect. Often, they’re envious and jealous so instead of supporting us, they chose to try to tear us down. But here’s what the Word of God says, “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”
Matthew 27:42-43 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.( A grace-strong heart knows what people said about Jesus and their opinion of Him, so we stand on the truth and refuse to allow their opinions to control our thoughts, our emotions and our path)
Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Here’s the rock-solid promise and hope that the grace-strong heart lays for a foundation: a place to stand no matter what people say or do. God is our eternal victory
III. A Grace Strong Heart is the ONLY heart that will love God completely
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (The work of the Holy Spirit in us, brings us into a relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ that is impossible to accomplish through the flesh.)
Luke 17:15-16 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
(This is the account of the lepers that were healed. Leprosy in Bible times, was incurable and represents sin. There is no remedy for sin except to have it washed away by faith in the blood of Jesus. When we get a Biblical view of our sin as God spells it out, it brings us shame and fear because its wages is death. When God forgives us for Jesus’ sake, we know then it is only by His grace that we are clean. We take no credit of glory for our own salvation. This causes us to want to fall on our face before Him in worship and praise and cry, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe”
Luke 7:37-38 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. (The weeping, worshiping woman in this account, was a sinner and yet she was welcome at the feet of Jesus and commended by Him. She loved the Lord even though there was nothing about her that would make her worthy of His mercy. She is a type of all people who come to the Lord with a grace-strong heart and admit that salvation is only through Jesus)
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. (The Word declares how we come to love God: because He first loved us. God’s grace reached us while we were still sinners, unrighteous and unholy, He gave us not what we deserved but what we did not deserve. It was an unspeakable gift.!
Stand Still And Hold Your Peace
Exodus 14:13-14 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
The Israelites were caught between a rock and a hard place. They had escaped Egypt after they and their ancestors had been there 400 years. The Lord had gloriously delivered them and they were following God’s appointed leader to the land the Lord had promised to them and their descendants forever. They were marching in orderly array, the word harnessed in Exodus 13:18 is a military term meaning orderly. Perhaps as they marched, they were rejoicing to be free, excited to be on the journey and looking ahead with great anticipation to settling in their new homeland. As they walked, no doubt children were playing, people were talking and they were discussing the events of the past several weeks when Moses had appeared, the plagues rocked Egypt and the last plague of death came and they were set free. Then their journey came to a screeching halt. Pharaoh and his army were coming at break-neck speed to capture them and they were blocked by the red sea and couldn’t escape. Sounds like some situations we find ourselves in sometimes with our back against the wall and no way out.
I. Sometimes we have to fight
1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
God tells us our adversary, the devil as a roaring lion, walks about seeking who he may devour. He’s NOT a roaring lion, Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, but the enemy is AS a roaring lion and he’s trying to steal, kill and destroy all he can. He can’t kill us but he wants to destroy our testimony, our ambitions for the Lord, our confidence in God’s Word, our patterns of obedience and anything that will bring glory to God and make us a better Christian. We are told in James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The word “resist” comes from 2 words, stand and against. Believers stand firmly on the Word of God and resist. They actively refuse to allow the enemy to invade their minds and thoughts and they use the Word of God as a sword to proclaim the enemy is already defeated and Jesus is Lord of all.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5″ (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
When we declare we have the mind of Christ and refuse to allow this world and our flesh to program our minds against faith, it is a warfare. When we take a stand against the things that aim to replace the knowledge of God with the poison of lies and compromise, it is a battle. And when we allow the Holy Spirit to shape our very thoughts to submission to the will of Christ, we are in fight. These things take active attention and Spirit led awareness and are a part of the maturity of the believer. They are a part of the spiritual warfare we face. Some people teach we are supposed to stand toe to toe with the enemy in some sort of daily struggle. The Bible teaches in Jude 9 “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee”. The enemy has already been defeated by our Lord Jesus. He has no place in our life, our home or our mind and we have authority to declare this in Jesus’ name.
II. Sometimes we have to wait until the trouble passes
Romans 5:3-5 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
In Daniel 6, This was the case of Daniel. He was accosted by his enemies but God’s will for him was to wait it out until he was finally thrown into a den of lions. Even then, he had to endure a night with the lions. God could have stopped it all long before it ever got to that point but He didn’t. It was the same in Daniel 3 with Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego. There was quite a sequence of events that played out until they were finally thrown into a fiery furnace. God could have stopped it all from happening but He chose instead to allow it all to play out. They didn’t fight, they just waited it all out and then the trouble passed and they were delivered. When David was being chased by Saul, he ran, he hid and even spent time with the Philistines and God could have stopped it all at any time but the Lord chose to deliver David another way.
It’s always more comfortable for us when God stills the storm, removes the obstacles, silences the enemies and fixes the messes. But God sometimes lets us go through the storm, climb the obstacles, endure the critics voices and clean up the mess. It’s not because He doesn’t love us or has no power to work, it’s that He has a plan for us that involves waiting until the trouble is over. The scripture in Romans 5, shows the maturity and growth of believers is linked to steps from tribulation to confidence all while God is allowing us to wait through the chain of events.
There are even cases when God does not deliver in the way we might expect him. In Acts 6, Stephen, a believer full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles and God allowed him to be arrested and didn’t deliver him from being stoned to death. God’s will for Stephen was to take him home as a martyr. As he was dying, Stephen saw heaven opened and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. Stephen went through the trouble and it ended with his being delivered into the hands of Jesus, Acts 7: 59-60 “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”
For most of us waiting is hard, especially in our age of instant gratification. Hebrews 10:36 says “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” The irony is that in our trials and storms we are impatient for God to deliver us but it’s only the process of waiting through the trials that results in building our patience.
III. Sometimes we experience the awesome miracle
Exodus 14:13-14 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
The phrase “hold your peace” means to be quiet, don’t offer your advice or opinion, don’t argue, don’t get into some discussion of strategy and don’t scream in fear, just keep your mouth shut, your eyes open and watch God do a miracle. Moses said “stand still and see the Lord’s salvation”. In other words, stop moving. They were afraid and fear makes us want to run away but the Lord was fixing to do something great and He wanted them to stand still, to stop in their tracks and see His power. They must have been in great anguish and anguish will knock us flat but the Lord says, “stand”. The only thing that should drive us to our knees is our submission to the King of heaven and earth, not bowing or caving in to the pain of the trial. Self-will might have told them to dive into the sea and swim because it was either that or stay where they were and be captured by the Egyptians. Self-will wants us to do things our way or make decisions outside the will of God. The Lord had a different plan and He told them through Moses to shut up, stand still and see God in action.
The miracle God did that day was so profound it carried with it not only deliverance in the natural sense by destroying Pharaoh’s armies, but also deep spiritual truths of God’s mercy and grace. The walk through the red sea was a baptism. 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea”. After they crossed the red sea and the waters closed behind them, it was a type of salvation. The road back into Egypt was now closed. The miracle of the opening of the waters and the dryland crossing meant they were sealed by the Lord to their promised destination and they were no longer in danger of being captured and forced back into slavery. It also meant they could not return on their own: they were not slaves, they were the delivered people of God. The destruction of Pharaoh and his armies is the destruction of the enemy and his power over us. The Word to them declared, “for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever”. Praise God, His people are no longer a part of Egypt and no longer is there any threat of being enslaved by their enemy. They have been saved by the blood on their doorposts, baptized, set free from their enemy and their promised land lies ahead.
God doesn’t always do great miracles that change natural laws, like the red sea crossing, to help His people. We often wish He would but even when He does these type miracles, it doesn’t seem to increase people’s allegiance to Him. That’s how it was with the Israelites. You’d think after a miracle like this, they’d be the most thankful, faithful and spiritual people we could imagine but not so. Soon after this miracle, they turned their backs on the Lord and were worshiping an Egyptian-type golden idol. It seems to be we grow in faith and grace by the warfare and the times of waiting through the trials while God is with us in the fire, in the lion’s den and protecting us while we deal with the course of this life. It makes us stronger, more thankful and teaches us to fully trust in our Lord.
Lord, I submit to Your will in my life, body, soul and spirit. Teach me Your ways and let me see You in my trials and let me know you are with me. I thank You that Your plan for my life is to bring me to a place of blessing and honor for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
God Is Calling
Genesis 3:8-9 “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
In the very beginning, when Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord, the precedence was set for how people act when they encounter God and how God deals with people. Adam and Eve, fresh from their blatant rebellion, hear God coming and instead of facing Him and admitting what they did, they choose to hide. God, seeks them out and chooses to show mercy. And so, begins the pattern: people run away from God and try to ignore Him and God comes looking for them and calls them to Himself. God calls to us for His will and purpose, for our blessing and His glory and pleasure. It’s a wonderous thing that the creator, Lord God Almighty chooses to reveal Himself to people and make them a part of His eternity.
I. God calls us to salvation.
John 7:37 “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
Salvation is the Lord’s invitation to us to be forgiven, be made a child of God and have our names written in heaven. Then, heaven is our home, God is our Father and He gives us eternal life. Jesus said in St John 6:44 ” No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” The call to salvation is God, reaching out to us because He loves us and wants to save us. There is no goodness in us to reach out to God on our own, the scripture has declared all our righteousness is as filthy rags in God’s sight and we are dead in trespass and sin. Dead people are unable to make a move towards God, they have to be made alive by the work of the Holy Spirit and God then performs the miracle of the new birth in them. Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
If you are a follower of Jesus, can you remember when you were saved? I can’t remember the day or the hour, I didn’t write it down and I was a young boy, but I will never forget the experience. I remember the great desire that came into me to ask God to forgive me and save me and I went to find my dad to ask him to pray with me. I remember well what happened when I knelt at the sofa in the living room and my dad and mom prayed with me as I asked Jesus into my heart. The initiation of it all, was the Lord putting the desire so strongly into me that I couldn’t think of anything else and I was driven to be saved. Your experience is probably different from mine but the result is the same. God calls us to salvation
II. God calls us to serve Him
The Bible gives believers what has commonly been called, “The Great Commission” in Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. “ Even though this was given to the eleven disciples, Judas being dead, as Jesus was about to leave and go back to heaven, it lays down a principle of the call of God to service. Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,” v.11-12 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” God has a place for us to serve and His call is upon us to follow Him to do His work.
The Bible uses farming examples to explain the call of the Lord to serve Him. St John 4: 35-37 “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.” In God’s plan, we have a place to honor Him by serving and He is calling us to give our time, talents, hearts and minds to willingly serve Him by serving others. What opportunities we have and what rewards will be given at the judgement seat of Christ for those who faithfully serve our Lord.
III. God calls us into eternity
Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” People may ignore the first calls of God to salvation and service, but everyone will answer the call into eternity. For saved people, this is God’s call to them to come home and be present with the Lord forever. Either in the calling away of the church, 1 Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” or in death Philippians 1:21-23 21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”
For those who are not saved, they also will answer this call. Today’s preachers and churches are not presenting this truth. They perhaps feel it is unpalatable to today’s world but they will be held accountable to God for holding back the truth in an effort to “soften the blow” of God’s Word. (Romans 1:18) People may say, warning of hell drives people away from the church and then they can’t hear the news of salvation. But Jesus didn’t steer clear of it and if we are to obey God’s instruction to “rightly divide the word of truth” then it must be presented because it is just as real, just as sure and just as eternal as heaven and indescribably horrible to those who go there. Any theology that is one-sided in either direction is equally false and misleading because it does not present the mind and plan of God as revealed in the Holy Bible. Contemporary man with his politically and socially correct pander will still stand before a Holy God and face his sin whether or not he finds it uncomfortable and whether or not modern inept preacher/soothsayers have warned him that it’s coming. What if the bridge crossing the deep river was washed out by a storm, and preachers were standing by the side of the road and afraid to warn oncoming cars of the danger because they might intimidate, scare or upset some of the people? There’s a worse danger than a washed-out bridge and be assured, it DOES lie ahead. The warning can be done in love, words of grace seasoned with the salt of the Holy Spirit, but it must be done because it is as eternally true as John 3:16. The hope for our children, grandchildren, family members, neighbors, co-workers and even our enemies is that the doors of heaven are open to all people who will answer God’s call to salvation. May we all answer the call to service because it honors our Lord and people desperately need us, and may we all be ready to meet the Lord when the call into eternity comes to us.
Lord Jesus, thank you for calling us to be saved and giving us the opportunity to serve. We ask for those who have not received Your free gift of salvation, that they will accept it and be saved and ready when the call into eternity comes. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Lord Is Able
Mt 9:27-29 “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
When it comes to our faith, the question that lies before us is the same one Jesus asked these two blind men: do you believe the Lord is able? Be it a small matter or something so large there seems to be no answer, do you believe the Lord is able? After all, this simple question forms the basis of whether our faith in the Lord is absolute or not. Either the Lord is who the Bible declares Him to be and He has all power in heaven and earth Mt 28:18 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”, or He is a liar, didn’t mean what he said the way He said it and there are limits to His ability or the Bible is just a book of stories and not to be taken in faith as fact.
You have to make the decision for yourself, is the Lord able? If He isn’t able, then why believe the Bible and purport to follow Him? Would you toss aside the Bible and say, “I can’t follow Jesus because He’s not what He claims to be?” But if you believe that Jesus is able, even though your faith may be small and weak, then you will walk with the heroes of faith in the scripture who, against hope, against the world’s opinion, against the advice of others, against their own reasoning, against their doubt and against what many call “common sense”, believed God is able. You will at that moment be numbered with the peculiar people who walk by faith and not by sight, 2 Cor 5:7.
- Abraham, the father of faith, in his ultimate test, believed God was able
Heb 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
This account staggers the mind to understand it. When Abraham received the directive from God, he immediately, early the next morning, began to obey. At no point did he hesitate in his course of obedience, to the point where he bound Isaac and drew back the knife to sacrifice him. What provided him the power and will to follow through? He believed that God was ABLE to raise Isaac from the dead! Who knows all the thoughts and temptations that were going through Abraham’s mind as he started on the journey in obedience to God’s command? Yet, at the very core of his being, he was convinced, by faith, God was able. That trust overrode all his emotions, doubt, excuses to go in another direction, temptation to hesitate and wait until he figured it out or to simply think maybe he misunderstood what God commanded. Every barrier to his faith was broken by the unwavering confidence that God is able.
Where do we stand in this walk of faith? When God’s will is revealed to us in the scripture, isn’t it a fact that immediately the battle to believe God and obey Him begins? Every excuse, every reason to doubt, every temptation to procrastinate worms its way into our mind to dissuade us from immediate trust and faithful action. The enemy knows faith is what pleases God and faith without follow-through (works) is dead so he begins the campaign to stop the faith and its actions. If this happens over and over and each time we fail to believe God is able, soon our pattern will be that of making excuses for our unbelief, procrastinating until the door of opportunity shuts or “taking over” in our own reasoning or planning, doing it our way instead of God’s way. Remember Abraham heard God, got up, took action and continued until God took him in another direction. God is able.
- Our Salvation in fact, is sure and eternal because the Lord is able
Heb 7:24-25 “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
God purposed, planned and fulfilled our salvation through Jesus Christ in a way that not only completely saves us, but saves us eternally. This is an assurance some people do not have. Their doctrine of salvation is that it’s like a credit card. God gives it to you but if you fail in some way to make payments, He will repossess it. They see salvation as something they must be able to earn, remain worthy of or in some way maintain or else they’re lost again and have to start all over. The Bible teaches the Lord is ABLE to save us to the uttermost because he remains our high priest eternally and lives eternally as our intercessor. We are not able to achieve it, earn it, keep it, maintain it or hold on to it. The scripture clearly states Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” If we were able to even partially take credit for our salvation, we could boast that we are able. But we are NOT able because the Bible has declared that all our righteousness (our ability) is as filthy rags in God’s eyes Isaih 64:6. The Lord alone is able and not only to save us but to declare our salvation is eternal. When we are saved by God’s grace and stand before him one day, we won’t say “Jesus and I saved me” but we will say “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain but His blood washed it white as snow”. Praise the Lord, He is able and our salvation rests entirely by faith upon this truth.
2 Timothy 1:12 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
Jude 1:24 “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,
III. The Lord is able work in ways that are far beyond our ability to imagine or ask
Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
The Lord is unlimited in His power, unbound by natural law and in no way rendered helpless by our circumstances. Have you ever tried to help God out by offering advice and suggestions as to what he should do and how He should do it when we pray? Something like, “Lord, here’s the situation and you could do this, or that or why don’t you do…”, as if God can’t figure out what’s going on and needs some help to fix it! He is able to do exceeding abundantly above ALL we ask or think !!! His ways are perfect Ps 18:30 “As for God, his way is perfect:” God wants to work in our life because He is for us, not against us. He wants to bless us because He is our father and we’re His children. He wants us to have joy, peace, hope, wisdom and comfort because He eternally loves us. When He is at work in our life, He does so for our benefit and He’s not being controlled by our situation, He’s working for our good in spite of the situation and circumstances. He is able to do more, do it better, do it His way and in the end, bring it all to a place where He is honored, we are blessed and all praise goes to Him because He is able.
Our faith sometimes gets beat down because our mountains look so tall, valleys so wide, problems so unsolvable, our mistakes so unforgivable, our debt so enormous, our grief so severe, our pain so unbearable, our faults so unfixable, our circumstances so hopeless, and so on. But God is able! Can your faith rise to believe that? Can you lay hold of that truth and when the question comes, “do you believe the Lord is able?” can you, like the blind men in the text verse, say “Yes Lord”. The promise is, He will say, “according to your faith, be it unto you”.
Lord Jesus, I know you are able. My faith is weak and you know me inside out. But I declare this day, You are able. No matter the situation, you are bigger. No matter bonds, you are stronger. No matter the complexity, you are wiser. I put my trust in you, Lord because you alone are able. In Jesus’ name, amen.
New Clothes For Christmas
Luke 2:7 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.
When I was a little boy, I had an aunt who never gave me clothes for Christmas. She always gave me the same thing every year because she knew what I liked. So every year, she gave me the same size present and when I opened it, it was a model car. I usually started gluing it together on Christmas day and added it to my collection. But when I got older and self image became a factor, model cars meant less and clothes became more important. Especially in my teens, I wanted to look good and realized what I wore had a lot to do with that. When Christmas came , I began asking for clothes for Christmas. How about you this year? Wouldn’t you like to have new clothes for Christmas? Some that would make you look more handsome, more beautiful, younger, smarter, taller and 20 pounds lighter? On that thought, I’d love to have new clothes for Christmas!
I.Jesus got new clothes that first Christmas morning.
Hebrews 2:16-17 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
When Mary wrapped baby Jesus in swaddling clothes, the creator of heaven and earth identified as one of us. The new clothes were not the heavenly robes of eternal power and glory that He had just taken off, but those of the human condition: flesh, bone and blood. Even though He was called, (Isaiah 9:6 )”…Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”, that Christmas day He was called the son of Mary and the Son of man. He got clothed in humility, submission, suffering and death. Oh what a Savior!! His new clothes were those of a servant and He subjected Himself to all the temptation, sorrow and pain that we all face. That’s not the suit of clothes anyone would choose but Jesus chose to wear our sin ,our shame, and our disgrace. He wore the clothes of our penality of death and hell. When people saw him, they didn’t see the Almighty God they saw (Mark 6:3) “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. ”
In the little churches I attended growing up, I hardly remember Jesus being declared to be a man. Truth is, I remember being hammered with a picture of a wrathful, vengeance bent God who is ready to judge and punish. I didn’t get a good view of a Savior, clothed in humanness and making his way on this earth as a man. Eating with people, blessing the children, weeping with people in their sorrow and showing the greatest compassion for the sick and suffering. But that’s the real God-man Jesus. Totally divine and totally human: wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. When I see him, by faith, walking down my street, calling out my name, showing me kindness and mercy and inviting me to follow him and be his disciple, to pattern my life after His example, it makes me want to cry out “Jesus, friend of sinners, have mercy on me!”
II. God’s Christmas Gift To us Was Clothes
Adam and Eve sinned against the Lord God, saw themselves naked and were ashamed. They attempted to make clothes from fig leaves but God made them clothes from animal skins and clothed them (Gen 3:21). In spite of their disobedience, God showed grace and it foreshadowed His plan that culminated as declared in (Jn 3:16) that He so loved the world He gave Jesus to give everlasting life to all who trust in Him,
We, unrighteous in our sin, are covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Our dirty clothes of unholiness are exchanged in God’s grace for robes of purity.
Rom 4:7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered”
Rom: 3:22 “even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe”
Gal 3:27 ” For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” Here the phrase “have put on”, means to be clothed with.
How did we receive the righteous, sinless clothes of Jesus ? It was God’s plan to allow the sinlessness of Jesus to be imputed , (Rom 4:11-24), the word imputed meaning to lay on, reckoned for. When we believe in Jesus as our Savior, God no longer sees us covered in our sin and stained with unbelief but dressed, covered with the holiness of the Lord Jesus. A foreshadowing of this is seen in Song of Solomon 1 where the poor girl, representing lost humanity, describes herself as undesirable because of her condition. But the prince, representing the Lord of heaven and earth, sees her not as she is but as she shall be when He is finished providing her with the garments and jewels of royalty. Our God of grace has given us complete and eternal forgiveness of our sin and covered us head to foot in the sinless garments of Christ’s pure, unstained, sinless garments of true holiness.
III. Our Final Clothes Will Be Given To Us When Jesus Appears to Take Us Home
2 Cor 5:1-4 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
1 Cor 15:49,53 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
The exchange of mortality for immortality is our hope: the hope of eternal life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. (Titus 1:2) The eternal robes described in Rev 6:11, 7:9, 7:13 and 7:14, will be ours and we will be with our Lord forever in pure, holy and glorious garments. we will never suffer, never sorrow and never die. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift !(2 Cor 9:15)
Lord Jesus, we give thanks and praise to You that You have forgiven our sin, covered us in the covering of righteousness and promised us we have an eternal home that You have prepared for us where we can be with You forever. Draw our families, our children, grandchildren, those we witness to and even our enemies to Yourself and show mercy to them as you have to us. In Jesus’ Name we ask. Amen