Hyperactive Theology

Why Is The Blood Of Jesus Important?

2011-05-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

1. Atonement: “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Rom. 3:25 The Ark of the covenant’s top was called: Atonement Seat. (Put the blood. God’s throne)

2. Justified (Forgiven): “Since we have now been justified by his blood , how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!” Rom. 5:9 (Completely righteous.)

3. Redemption: “In him we have redemption through his blood , the forgiveness of sins” Eph. 1:7 Redeemed, means: We have a restored worth. That which marred us has been taken away.

4. Near: “now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” Eph. 2:13 (Esp. Gentiles, were far from God’s family, house. Brought in)

5. Reconcile: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood , shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:19-20 (Fullness: GOD did it! Who did that? God!)

6. Precious (valuable): “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” 1 Peter 1:18-19 (Means: He took on flesh and blood. Unlike any other human. Valauable! God became man. Can’t buy that!)

7. Purifies: “the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 (Pictured in Baptism)

8. Freed: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” Rev. 1:5

Steven Spielberg Prince of Egypt, showed the people marking doors. Script had God say: “When I see the mark upon the doorframe, I will pass by.” Religious leaders said: No. That’s wrong. You have to say: Blood! “When I see the blood.” “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Ex. 12:13 Like the Hebrews, we are set free. Our sins forgiven. Taken to the sea, now go through the desert, we look toward Canaan.

9. Purchased: (Song sung by elders) “with your blood you purchased men for God” Rev. 5:9 You belong to God because he bought you. Paid full price.

10. Victory: “For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb” rev. 12:10-11

In Revelation 19, John says: I saw a white horse, rider called Faithful and true. Eyes like blazing fire, on head many crowns. Name: King of Kings, Lord of Lords. The armies of heaven follow. He comes wearing a robe dipped in blood. “Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.” Rev. 19:15-16

The blood on his robe is not his own. It is the blood of the nations. Picture of judgment. You can come to him through his blood. Or, on that final day: He will crush unbelievers like you crush grapes. When grapes are are crushed in a winepress, they get on the edge of the robe ofthe one trampeling. That is how the judgment will be. The blood of the wicked will be on his robe.

Blood will be spilt: 2 options: He can pay with his blood to make us friends with God. We can pay with our own blood to make ourselves enemies of God. Only a fool would shed his own blood to eternally be an enemy of God.

Human Reasons For The Murder Of Jesus

2011-05-08T21:02:00.000-07:00

The death of Jesus was the plan and will of God. It was his choice to send his son to die as a sacrifice. His motive was to save the world. However, the people who put Jesus to death did not execute his murder in order to save the world! They had a very different agenda. Here are four reasons for the murder of Jesus:

1. He made himself equal with God.

"So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." John 5:16-18

2. He said the kingdom would be taken from them, given to Gentiles.

"When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet." Matt. 21:45-46

3. He raised Lazarus from the dead. (John 11:53)

"Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

"What are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."

51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life." John 11:45-53

4. He attacked the temple.

"On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'" 18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching." Mark 11:15-18

The Message of Revelation

2011-05-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

“Revelation reminds us that we do not belong to this world and must not be seduced by what it values.” Craig Keener p.43 (NIV Application Commentary)

This is Keener's list from the NIV Application Commentary.
1. God is awesomely majestic, sovereign in our troubles.
2. Jesus’ sacrifice as the Lamb ultimately brings complete deliverance for those who trust him.
3. That god’s judgments on the world are often to serve notice on the world that God will avenge his people.
4. God is just. Regardless of how things appear in the short run, sin does not go unpunished.
5. God can accomplish his purpose through a small and persecuted remnant.
6. Worship leads us from grief over our sufferings to God’s eternal purposes.
7. That proclaiming Christ invites persecution. Jesus is worth dying for.
8. A radical contrast exists between God’s kingdom (exemplified in the bride, the New Jerusalem( and the world’s values *exemplified in the prostitute, Babylon)
9. The hope God has prepared for us far exceeds any present sufferings.
10. That God and the church ultimately include representatives of all people.

Interesting Aspects of Revelation

2011-05-08T00:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some quick notes on things worthy of further study in the book of Revelation. Drawing primarily from G.K. Beale.

1. Babylon: After A.D. 70, Jewish Literature called Rome “Babylon.” (Ezra 3:1-2, 28-31 / Baruch 10:1-3, 11:1, 67:7 / Sibylline Oracles.) Because Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem/Temple like Babylon.

2. The significance of numbers: Most agree these numbers are symbolic: 3, 4, 7, 12 (and their multiples).

*SEVEN: A number of completeness.

7 days of creation.
7 fold vengeance for killing Cain, Gen. 4:15 / 24. Ps. 79:12
The book is addressed to 7 church’s. Seven beatitudes.
7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls.
The word “Spirit” is used 14 times. (2x7)
The name “Christ” appears seven times. Name Jesus appears 14 times.
“The Lamb” is used of Christ 28 times. (4x7)

*FOUR: also a number of completeness. (Worldwide) Especially connoting something universal or world wide.

Earths four corners. –Four winds. (5:13, creatures in four sectors of the cosmos offer a fourfold doxology)
Fourfold formula: “every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.” 5:9, 7:9
Certain names of God and Christ repeated in fours and seven. “The one who lives forever and ever” is applied to God four times. (4:9, 4:10, 10:6, 15:7)
The seven spirits are mentioned four times.
The allusion to Exodus 19:16 (Lightening, sounds and thunders) appears four times.

*TWELVE: Represents completeness. Idea: Unity in diversity. One nation, Israel, 12 tribes.

*The number 666 has to do with judgment. The sixth element of each series of seals, trumpets and bowls focuses only on judgment of imperfect humanity. / Babylon is mentioned only six times.

*EIGHT: Important to the structure of the book “Jesus” in Greek add up to 888. Number of Resurrection. God created the world in 7 days. New creation began on an 8th day.

3. Inverted Uses:
Sometimes the old testament meaning is reversed: Bowing down:
“This is what the LORD says: "The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans — they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, 'Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.'" Isa. 45:14 Gentiles bow/confess: God is with you.

“I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars — I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.” Rev. 3:9 Jewish hope is turned upside down. Jewish persecutors of Christians must bow down.

4. Solecisms: Incorrect use of words. (Accent)
This is awesome, but I'm not sharp on it. “While John is writing Greek, he is thinking Hebrew.” (Charles) A significant number of irregularities occur in the midst of OT allusions. Most of the solecisms are disagreements in: Case, number, gender or person (1st, 3rd).

“A number of expressions appear irregular because John is carrying over the exact grammatical forms of the allusions, often from various versions of the Greek OT and sometimes from the Hebrew. He does not change the OT grammatical form to fit the immediate syntactical context in Revelation, so the OT expression sticks out like a sore thumb. This creates syntactical dissonance.” (Beale)

Background: Historical Context Of Revelation

2011-05-08T00:06:00.000-07:00

A great persecution had broken out against the church. Emperor Worship was a growing threat to Christians. Though Jews were exempt from having to worship the emperor, Christians were not.

The Roman Emperor's claimed to be gods. Caligula seemed to actually believe it! He went mad demanding the sun rise.

While Nero is often see as the primary enemy of the church, he focused mostly on Christians in Rome. It is later emperors who would expand the persecution to include all of the Roman world.

1. Domitian: Demanded he be addressed as “Supreme Lord and God.” Domitian “was called master and god by all Greeks and barbarians, but was in reality an evil demon.” (Dio Chrysostom, Greek oritor, philosopher, writer, historian)
A person refusing to worship the emperor could be denied the right to buy or sell in market. Entrance into trade unions. Exile, torture, property confiscated, death. Flogged, fed to lions in the Coliseum, beheaded, crucified.

2. Evidence of the persecution reflected in Christian writings:
1 Clement 1:1, “the sudden and repeated calamities and reverse that has befallen us.”
Ch. 7, Clement compares the earlier martyrdom's of Peter and Paul by Romans, as well as the persecution of “a vast multitude of the elect” “through many indignities and tortures” “We are in the same arena, and the same struggle is before us.” 7:1
Domitian executed the aristocrat Flavius Clemens and banished his wife Flavia Domitilla because of “atheism.”

3. At Ephesus Domitian set up a colossal statue.

4. Rome hated Christians. Christianity was unnoticed by the Romans for several decades.

Reasons for the persecution:

Christian Missionary Zeal. Roman Government tolerated religion of the conquered provinces. Conquered people could place an image of their deity in the Hall of God’s. So long as the religion did not try to proselyte. But Christians inspired an entire missionary movement! Christians were seen as wild fanatics because of their enthusiasm.
Christianity was an exclusive religion. Christians refused: Mingle with ungodly. Go to idol temples. Have idols in homes. Rome already upset with Jews. Christians were seen as worse than Jews.
Christians were accused of all manner of evil. Known to hold secret services at night. Spoke of eating flesh, drinking blood. Called atheist because they did not recognize the "gods."
Christians refused to go to war. Two reasons according to Tertullian: –Part of the oath and initiation of the soldiers included service to idols of the State. –Required to wear idolatrous insignia on their uniforms. –Christ had taken the sword from them and given them a way of peace. (I know that's 3)
Christians were primarily poor and outcast. They were looked down upon by the ‘respectable.”
Christians refused to worship the emperor. All others would have been tolerated if they had given in on this point.

5. The author is in exile on Patmos.
“I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” Rev. 1:9 Suffering: thlipsis (thlip'-sis); pressure : Same word as Revelation 7:14

6. Antipas was recently martyred for the faith. (Rev. 2:13)
According to Christian tradition, John the Apostle ordained Antipas as bishop of the Pergamon during the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian. Antipas was martyred in ca. 92 AD by burning in a brazen bull-shaped altar used for casting out demons worshiped by the local population.”

7. There is economic persecution:
“I know your afflictions and your poverty — yet you are rich!” Rev. 2:9

Interpretations of Revelation

2011-05-07T23:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a brief list of some of the main interpretative approaches to Revelation. Each interpretation has groups within itself.

1. Futurist: Dispensational pre-tribulation pre-millennial.

Dispensational: God works differnetly under different times. Dispensation: Law. Dispensation: Apostles. Dispensation: Church. Dispensation: Israel
Views Rev. 3-22 as still future to John and to us.
Sometimes called: Literal view. Mountains thrown into sea, 100 pound hale stones. Say: Never seen that before. . . that must be future.
Holding this view: left behind series. Robert Thomas, Masters seminary. John Walvoord, Charles Ryre, J. Dwight Pentecost, Norman Geisler, Charles Feinberg. Pastors: Jak Van Impe, John Hagee. Many more. It is easily the most popular view at the present time.

Concerns:
The original audience did not read it this way. Not contextual. If I tell you about a great whore, sits on seven hills -- Anyone first century is going to say: That’s Rome!
It is not the historical view of the church. The church for years has discussed the millennium. Only since 1830 has the rapture device been used.

“Dispensationalism is associated with J.N. Darby (1800-1882) and his followers. It was largely popularized through the notes of the Scofield Reference Bible, but a more current form of dispensationalism appears in the notes of the Ryrie Study Bible. Hal Lindsey’s hugely successful book, the Late Great Planet Earth, served to keep the movement in the mainstream of evangelicalism in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The movement has experienced a revival through the immensely successful Left Behind series of novels written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.” –Kim R.

2. Historic PreMillennialism.

The coming of Jesus marks the beginning of a new age. (Doesn’t have a rapture)
There would be an earthly kingdom of God after the return.
Draws its name from the fact many early church fathers held this view: Irenaeus (140-203) : Disciple of Polycarp, disciple of John. / Justin Martyr (100-165) / Papias (80-155)

3. Preterist Interpretation. Virtually everything in Revelation is in the Past.
This view is held by Ray Summers. Popular in the 50's. (Ray Summers, worthy is the lamb)

“I do not believe that any interpretation of Revelation can be correct if it was meaningless and if it failed to bring practical help and comfort to those who first received the book.” Worthy Is Lamb, p. vii

Heavy emphasis on the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. Nero. Describing past events even for John. Preterest give us good history. However, nothing is left to anticipate if all of the book has been fulfilled. So while due respect should be given to this view, and the context should always be sought, Revelation remains a prophetic book to this day.

4. Continuous Historical Interpretation:
Symbolic of history of the church to the end. Forecast, in symbols, the history of the church. So if you’re in the reformation, read about a Great whore drunk on the blood of the saints. . . who is it?! Wycliffe, Luther, immediately say: That’s roman Catholic Church! Dr. DA Carson notes that Calvin, never wrote a commentary on Revelation. Said: He was too good an exegete to say Catholic Church was Babylon. Too good a reformer to turn others away from that view
Problem: History does not line up with it neatly. You have to either force text, force history.

5. Symbolic interpretation. (Abstract interpretation) Everything is symbolic.
You are to look for the moral of each analogy. It has no reference for the 1st Century church.
Church is ages. . . works nicely ends with Laeodocea. Love grown cold.
“You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' Rev. 3:17 Works well in the west. How about church in China? Iran? Iraq? They are not rich. Love is not cold.
*Applied literally to a church. *The situation applies to us. Churches are not ages, they’re situations.

6. Post Millennialism: Jesus comes back after the millennium to judge the world, raise the dead.

Through the preaching of the gospel, H.S., Christianity will grow.
Christian influence brings about peace and economic well being.
Large numbers of Jews come to faith in Christ.
End of this mil. age, period of great Apostasy.
After the mil., Christ returns. *Problem: assumes things get better. (Died off after WW1)

7. Amillennialism: Present millennial age manifest in the present reign of Jesus Christ in heaven.
From Christ leaving to his second coming, you have millennium in heaven. Satan is bound by the preaching of the Gospel. This was first given systematic expression by Augustine in famous: City of God.

Some convictions:
"No one view is the magic key to complete interpretation of Revelation." --DA Carson
1. Look first at how early church would have seen it. Since they were the original audience, we should always seek to understand how they would have seen these symbols.
2. Revelation does not concern itself with a western timeline. It is not a book to be charted! Often the book moves in circles, repeating concepts, as much as a western linear timeline.
3. Revelation includes elements of the futurist view. There is yet a future: Coming of Christ. Reign of Christ. Judgment: Both man, earth. New Heaven. New Earth.

Characteristic's Of Apocalyptic Literature

2011-05-07T23:22:00.000-07:00

Jews had a lot of Apocalyptic literature: 1st Enoch, Book of Jubilees, Book of Abraham. “Apocalypse is a Greek word meaning "revelation"

Proto-Apocalyptic: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Zechariah.
Apocalyptic: Daniel. Daniel is a “matured and classic” example. (N.T., Matthew 24, mark 13, 2 thess. 2, Revelation.)

1. It is usually revealed by an angel. Messenger. (Here, Jesus will be the messenger)
2. Disclosure through a dream of vision. As Daniel after long fasting stands by the river, a heavenly being appears to him, and the revelation follows (Daniel 10:2ff). John, in the New Testament Revelation (1:9ff), has a like experience, told in very similar words.
3. Future oriented.
4. Usually mystery involved. He will tell you something, then reveal the meaning later. Deals with hidden information.
5. Monsters / unusual creatures. Beasts, dragon.
6. Mystical Symbolism. Take something you know, and apply it to something else. We all know what a key is. What does it mean when Jesus holds the key to death? Is it literally a key, or is there a message? Symbols were used in such a way that the reader knew what they were. Horns are always going to refer to Kings or Kingdoms.
7. Revelation: The Prophet sees from God’s perspective.
8. Sharp black and white issues. Satan is bad. Dragon is bad. Woman is good. Mark of the beast bad. Plagues are righteous. Clear about: Who’s in, who’s out.

Difficult Parable: The Gate Crasher

2011-03-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

In a series of parables meant to show Israel's rejection of the Messiah, Jesus adds an interesting twist to one. It is a complete surprise to the reader, and probably the first century listener! Look at the first part of the parable:

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:

Matthew 22:1-11

"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' .
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"But they paid no attention and went off — one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

This is pretty straightforward! Israel rejects the King, even kills the Son. The enraged king sends his army and destroys the city. This is exactly what happened. Israel murdered Messiah, and judgment was brought in A.D. 70 at the destruction of Jerusalem.

But Israel's rejection results in the Gentiles being invited in to the banquet. To a banquet not prepared for them! to a banquet meant for another people. God invites us in to covenant friendship, relationship with Him.

But then the parable gets more interesting. The plot thickens!

Matt 22:11-14
"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

So a man comes to the wedding, dragged in off the street. . . and whala! he is thrown out for wearing the wrong clothes? On the surface it seems incredibly arrogant, mean of the master to throw the poor party goer out. After all, he didn't get up that morning planning ot go to a banquet, did he? He was just dragged in. So why is the master upset about this guys clothes?

As people entered the banquet, they would have been given robes to wear. But this man thought what he had was good enough.

This is a parable for the Gentiles! They are not to reject the righteous commands of God. The robe represent righteousness. Rejecting the robe is a symbol of a gentile who wants to be saved, but does not want to obey God. They want salvation, but not lordship.

"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness," Isa. 61:10

This guy thinks he can be saved, but say: No thank you to the robe of righteousness. Glory of God. Friendship with God. I want to party, live like I want. I don’t want to know God. I don’t want righteousness. I don’t need: God’s people. Faith. Goodness.

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." Rev. 19:7-8
Every bride wants to look nice on her wedding day. She puts on the best she has. What are we to say about Christians who accept Christ, but do not want to put the wedding garments on. Are they really his?.

God’s response to this attitude: throw him out. He warns the Gentiles -- Don’t you be like Israel. If you come to God, but say no thank you to obedience, then your faith is dead.

Upon This Rock

2010-12-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

"And I tell you that you are Peter (little rock), and on this rock (big) I will build my church" 16:18
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God’s church gives me a place of belonging. Through the Church, God is making us a people.
I will build my "church": ekklesia. The called out ones.
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Picture:
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1. The rock of the church is Yeshua, Jesus.
Jesus question is strange: Who do men say I am? You wouldn't ask your friends that! Peter’s response displays confidence in a flaky generation. Some say he is John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, a prophet. When it gets personal, Peter answers with rock solid sureness. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."16:16
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Jesus response with excietment. "Blessed are you" 16:17 You are blessed to know who Jesus is!
"for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven." 16:17 Inspiration on the spot. God filled the mind of Peter. He’s thinking God’s thoughts.
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Jesus has always existed in fellowship with God. They are the first community. From the trinity we get: Love, submission, respect. The doctrine that Jesus is Fully man/Fully God is: "hypostatic union." Union of both natures.
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2. The foundation of the church:
Law, Psalms, Prophets, Apostles Teaching. No longer foreigners, aliens... fellows citizens God’s hosuehold. "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." Eph. 2:19-20 Christ is CORNER STONE.
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3. The keys of the kingdom:
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 16:19
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He describes two things the church will do:
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He gives us the KEYS to the Kingdom. Keys: Picture of bringing people into the gate. To us he says: I give you keys to the kingdom. I think the keys are evangelism.
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He says we will bind and loose with authority. This is discipleship. We will bind people to God’s word. In some area’s we will set people free. Your church is to help you get lose from the world. Bind you to God’s Word. Free from: Addiction. Co-dependance. Anger. Immorality. Pride. Gossip. BIND: To God’s Word.

The Sign Of Jonah

2010-08-31T00:19:00.000-07:00

The Pharisees twice asked for a sign, and twice were told that they would get no sign but the sign of "Jonah." He said, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah . 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Matthew 12:39-40
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They say: give us a sign! We hear when you were born, there was a star. Bring back that star! Moses gave Pharaoh signs. But Jesus says, the only sign you'll get is that of Jonah.
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Basics: Jonah was in the fish 3 days, he came out. Jesus will be in the earth 3 days, come out alive.
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I think Jonah actually died. Jesus used him as a picture of death! It doesn't look like he had a happy death. Or, to put it more bluntly, it looks like Jonah saw hell.
"From the depths of the grave I called for help: Jonah 2:2
"I said, 'I have been banished from your sight" Jonah 2:4
"To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever." Jonah 2:6
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Then there is a resurrection:
(Banished): "yet I will look again toward your holy temple." Jonah 2:4
(roots mtns) "But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God." Jonah 2:6
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A favorite objection to the Bible is the book of Jonah. They say: If he’d been in that fish 3 days, he would have died; as if death isn’t a problem for God! Jonah didn’t get swallowed and God say: uh-oh. Now what? God could resurrect him. And Jesus seems to hin that is exactly what happened.
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Why does the resurrection matter?
This really isn't about Jonah so much, it's about Jesus' resurrection. Jonah is just a sign! Why is the resurrection so important?
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1. It is a safe place to stake my faith. Resurrections separates Christianity from all other religions. There is tangible, provable evidence. It is grounded in a historical event.
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2. Christ lives to raise me from the dead.
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3. My heart can be God’s home. The resurrected Christ lives in me. He’s right there! His resurrected presence is in the Christian. He can I’ve you peace as soon as you ask. Take away anger. Give you strength. He actually, physically, lives in you.

Evidence Of Salvation

2010-08-31T00:11:00.000-07:00

1. Eagerness for Christ return. (1 John 3:2-3) (Annie would look at the sky: maybe tonight!)
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2. Spiritual discernment. (1 John 4:2-3) A Christian would not call the work of God Satan.
Careful about how you speak about God’s Church... any church.
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3. Love others. "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" 1Jn 4:8
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4. By obeying God. "This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands." 1 John 5:2
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5. Grief over sin. "We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him." 1 John 5:8
When someone sins, and there is no grief, no turning, no tears... a sign of unrepentance.
The fact that your sins upset you, bother, grieve you: Sign you’re a child of God.
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6. Clarity about the person of Jesus Matthew 12:41-42
Jesus: Men Ninevah will stand at judgment condemn you; they repented! Now one greater than Jonah is here. Queen of south will condemn you, she repented at Solomon’s wisdom, I’m greater than Sol! (People have repented with much less evidence than you have)
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7. Jesus gives a forgotten evidence of salvation: MY MOUTH! My words. We never give much consideringa to this as a proof of salvation. Jesus says that these snakes, brood of vipers, can't say anything good because their hearts are evil. "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34 Men will give account at judgment for every careless word. Matthew 12:36
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Go tot he doctor, stick out your tongue. By looking at your tongue he can determin your health. God does the same thing! What you say tells the condition of your heart. Mouth says what the heart coughs up. If our words are out of control, immature, ugly, then that is true of the heart.
If our words are: Pornographic -- heart is pornographic. Foul. Dirty. Hurtful. Vindictive. Critical.
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After a verbal assault someone will say, "That wasn’t like me." Jesus says it was just like you!
"The tongue also is a fire" James 3:6 Do you know any verbal arsonist? Your words can burn: Relationships, marriage, friendship, reputation, career,

Blasphemy Of The Holy Spirit

2010-08-30T23:53:00.000-07:00

"when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." Matthew 12:24-32
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Blasphemy in the Old Testament:
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Blasphemy is to take that which is Holy and dishonor it. In O.T. no Sacrifice or atonement for it.
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In Leviticus 24 there is a fight in the Hebrew camp. A Half Egyptian/Hebrew curses The Name. They take him to Moses and ask, what do we do? Moses goes to God, who gives this instruction: Everyone who heard him, lay hands on him and the community is to stone him.
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Numbers defined blasphamy this way: "'anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemes the LORD, and that person must be cut off from his people. Because he has despised the LORD's word and broken his commands, that person must surely be cut off; his guilt remains on him.'" Num. 15:30-31
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Blasphemy is the conscious denouncing and rejection of God. It is defiant irreverence.
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Blaspheme of Holy Spirit:
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The Work of the Holy Spirit:
1. Glorify Christ.
2. Empower believers.
3. Convict of Sin.
4. Seal believer for day of redemption.
5. Draw us to Christ. The Holy Spirit has been called the "hound of heaven." He will show us our need for Jesus.
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When the Holy Spirit begins to convict of sin, we get in a tug of war with God. Some people never give in to the Spirit's prompting. In fact, their heart gets hard! In the Old Testament, blasphemy cost you’re your life on earth. Jesus now reveals that if you reject the one the H.S. has anointed, that has an eternal consequence.
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Now this Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not a one time quick event. It is not a slip of the tongue, casual ooops now you damned to hell. (Pharaoh took a year!)
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In short, Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is to harden your heart to the Spirit's prompting to repent and turn to Christ.
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Beetle Juice!
The Pharisees hardened themselves against God’s Messiah; called him demon possessed!
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By Beelzebul: Baal Zaub (greek: Lord of the flies). This was a Philistine god worshiped in Ekron.
In 2 Kings 1 we are told about King Ahaziah fell through the lattice upper room and was severely injured. Sent messengers to Ekron inquire of Baal Zebub see if he’ll recover. Elijah intercepted the army and asked, Is there no God is Israel? Fire came down and destroyed them. This happened twice, killing over a hundred men. Anyway, the god they were going to inquire of was Beelzebul!
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The Pharisees are accusing Jesus of being this false god: baal-zub. They’re hearts are so hard, they’ve called Jesus the work of Satan. That’s a hard heart!

3 Kinds Of People I Need

2010-08-30T23:44:00.000-07:00

"Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward" 10:41
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What is a prophet’s reward? Knowing God! The Word of God! Relationship with God. There are some people who bring you closer to God. We are wise to stay near them. Jesus also says: Be one of them!
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3 Kinds of people I need in my life:
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1. Prophets: People I can learn from. Prophets are people who speak truth. They’ll teach you how to get near God. Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah were not popular because they spoke the truth. But thsoe near them were greatly blessed! These are peoople like: Preachers / Teachers. / Expositors. They will ground you in truth. They know the path and serve as trail guides.
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2. Righteous Person: People I can mimic. "anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward." Matthew 10:42 What is a righteous mans reward? A clean conscience! These are people who may not be a "teacher" -- but a really good husband. You say: I’m going to watch how you do that husband thing! Watch righteous people in life, and them memic them.
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3. Little Ones: People I can serve. "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42 Why little? Because they are in need. One of the great things about church: It’s a place where the hurting come. God puts them in our face to minister to. Weak come. Children come.
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Interesting, you need twice as much in coming as you have out-going. (You need prophets and righteous people). Ministry is voerflow.
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Note the promise, "He will certainly not lose his reward..." Matthew 10:42 You’ll lose your car, money, house... when you serve God, it lasts forever!

How Can We Acknowledge Christ

2010-08-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven" Matthew 10:32-33
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The reason we are to "acknowledge" Christ is certainly as a sign of our own commitment and courage. We are not to be ashsamed of Jesus. Also, we are not to remain silent because the salvation of those who know us is on the line!
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Silence on who Jesus is and what he is done for us is cruel! Spiritual cowardess is unkind, unloving. In fact, it is a betrayal of both the Lord and those w love.
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Some ways we affirm Christ:
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1. By being baptized. We identify with the crucifixion of Jesus personally in Baptism.
"all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Rom. 6:3-4
Baptism shows people what Jesus did. It says: His story, is my story!
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2. By speaking about him!
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" Rom. 1:16
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3. By living a transformed life. Words are not enough. Bible study not enough.
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39 Can I tell you something that’s life changing: Death! Die to self, let Christ live in you. Jesus told us to take up our cross and follow him. If you take up a cross, you die to yourself. Die to this world. Your very "self" is crucified. Only once we are dead will the Resurrected Christ begin living in us. His life continues, ours decreases.
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"I am: crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Gal. 2:20
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Think about how life changing the command to "Take up your cross..." really is. See, people carrying a cross act different. Hard to be cool, prideful, or mean or hostile or unforgiving when you're carrying a cross! It's a very humbling thing. Carrying the cross makes us more gentle, loving, kind. The cross is a picture of love. More humble. Gentle. Loving.

Worthy Of Jesus

2010-08-30T23:24:00.000-07:00

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Matthew 10:37
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This is Hebrew Hyperbole -- exaggeration meant to make you stop and think! Exactly what does he mean? The Bible tells us to love our father and mother. He is teaching us that the closest human ties cannot rival your love for Jesus.
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This is a claim to deity. He is saying: You must worship me. Love me above all others. Deuteronomy: You must love the Lord your god with all your mind, strength, soul. If you are going to follow Christ, then he is the only approval you need to seek.
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Jesus is saying: Once I make you a new creation, don’t try and fit into other people’s molds to make them happy. Don’t change yourself for them.
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1. I must want to please Christ more than I want to please my family.
You cannot follow Christ and worship the opinions: Friends, family, peers, superiors.
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2. I must serve Christ even if others reject me; even family.

Parable Of The Dragnet

2010-08-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

Remember dragnet? Joe Friday, "Just the facts." Well, this isn't that kind of dragnet! Jesus is using a fishing parable here. Though the police term "dragnet" comes from the world of fishing.

"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away." Matthew 13:47-48
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A dragnet was a net 750-1,000 ft long! It was 25 ft high. A dragnet had sinkers that would drop the net down, making a huge wall. This took team work! dragged to shore. Separate good/bad fish.

2nd Coming is like a huge net: covers the earth and everyone is caught in it. Can you see it? A Dragnet is drawn across the earth! Point: everyone will be accountable. There will be a separating -- Righteous and wicked. When Christ comes, do you want to be counted among the unGodly or the Godly?
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1. The punishment for the wicked: "This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:49-50 (Also described hell that way)
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Forecast for the wicked: Stormy. Bad. Warm. Notice that Jesus shows us what kind of a palce hell is:
–Place of Separation: Separated: taken from God, thrown out.
–Place of physical punishment: Fire. Physically painful.
–Place of emotional torment: Weeping: Something devastating has happened.
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2. Reward for the righteous. This is from the parable of the wheat and the tares
"Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." Matthew 13:43 Do you have an "ear" to hear? Do you have spiritual ears, connected spiritual eyes: This world is not all there is.
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Forecast for the righteous: Awesome! Literally, shiny. Glowing. Radiant. Luminous.
Shine like the sun. . .
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I was watching the film The Family Man. Nicholas Cage plays a busy business man, lives for work. An angel gives him a glimpse of what life could have been like if he’d focused on: Wife, kids. It changes everything. If God gave you a glimpse of the Kingdom, what do you think he’d show you? Pearly gates? Mansion? Gold streets? Throne? – I think he'd show you You. He woudl show you, You: Forgiven. YOuw ith no weight of guilt. You with no sin. You serving God in His Strength. You living up to God’s plan.

Parable of Leaven

2010-08-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." Matt. 13:33
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Many think this is a negative parable of the Kingdom. That is, that leaven is always evil in the Bible. So it represents corruption in the church. We should note that the Kingdom and the Church are not synonymous. The church is part of the Kingdom, but it is not all there is of the Kingdom. I think we should view the parable in a positive light, as I think it is a natural reading of the text.
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Also note two verses in Leviticus, which allow for leaven (yeast) sacrifices. Yeast isn't always bad in the Bible! It's only to be purified of at certain times; but the rest of the year it can be eaten. It can even be offered to God as a sacrifice! Note:
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"Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast. 14 He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offerings" Lev. 7:13-14 (Also see 23:17)
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Note some positive uses of leaven:
1. Works its way through dough. World is a loaf bread. Kingdom work through it.
2. Small, just a pinch.
3. Unstoppable.
4. Good, sweetens.
5. Represents flesh. The flesh is redeemed in th Kingdom.
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Point of the parable: that which is very small will: Fill the earth, sweeten the earth. Change the world!
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Where the Gospel is lived out, the culture around is cahnged. For instance, the vikings were fierce plunderers. They erroized coastlands of Europe. In fact, the word Berserk comes from their fighting men who were called berserkers. In 120 A.D. Christianity came under Kin Olav. Blood sacrifices, black magic, setting out of infants, slavery and polygamy were outlawed. This is a direct result of Christianity!
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Christians would make contributions to: Medicine, Science, Law, Government, Art, Music.
Science: Louis Pasture, Conpericus, Galileo, I.Newton.
Phil: Soren Kirkregard, Karl Barth. Dercertes.
Writers: J.R.R. Tolken. C.S Lewis
Musicians: Johann Bach.
Cartoons, Charlie Brown, Shultz.
Even fast food has been touched by Christianity! Take a look at the bottom of an In N Out cup sometime. Their wrappers and cups all have Bible verses hidden on them. (Is there a better example of leaven? !)

Parable of the mustard seed

2010-08-30T22:39:00.000-07:00

"He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." Matthew 13:31-32
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1. Something very small is going to become huge. He starts with 12, but it will reach to the ends of the earth. That 12 by the time of Pentecost had become 120. Which is small, when considering the crowds Jesus ministered to. But that 120 would fill the earth!
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2. It’s growth is unusual. A mustard seed becomes a bush. But this seed becomes a tree. Beyond expectation.
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3. Birds: Represent gentiles. The world will find safety in the arms of God’s Kingdom. Jesus is saying: My Kingdom will fill the earth, it will be a blessing to the Gentiles!
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4. Empires are often referred to as trees.
cf: Assyria, Ezek 17:22-23 ,
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In Daniel 4, the King has a dream in which he sees a great tree that birds take refuge in. But the tree is cut down. Daniel says: The tree is you. God will cut you down! After he tried to burn 3 guys. Saw Son of God in the fire. Now the Son of God stands on earth and says: My kingdom will be greater than his!
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Babylon, Assyria and every other nation would take its stand on earth; but God would cut it down. Only the Kingdom of God will fill the earth forever like a great tree.

Parable of the wheat and tares

2010-08-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Jesus told the parable of a man who sowed wheat in his field. But while he slept, an enemy sowed weeds. When the wheat began to grow, the servants noted that weeds were also growing among them. The master commanded they not pull the weeds until harvest time.
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1. Sower: Jesus.
2. Field: World.
3. Good seed: Sons of the kingdom. People of God.
4. Weeds: Wicked people.
5. Enemy: Devil.
6. Harvest: End of the age.

7. Harvesters: Angels.
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"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil." 13:40-41.
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A tare is a poisonous weed, looks just like wheat. It doesn’t bear fruit. Kill you. Enemy would take heads of darnells and sprinkle it in your field. Can’t just harvest. It's a pain because you now have to go through the entire field and separate bad from good.
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Two notes from this parable:
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1. Satan is at work right beside us. He plants weeds. These are people don’t plan to repent, change or follow God. They want to live like the world - run church like business - act crass. How do you spot them? This isn’t hard to figure out! Give them time, they don’t produce fruit. They don't grow or mature or sweeten. They show no interest in Godliness or getting better. Holiness still repulses them.
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2. God will deal with evil. I’m glad I’m not the judge! At the end of time, a righteous judge will deal with wickedness. He will determine who is saved and who is not. I'm glad I don't have to decide if you're saved!
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The parable explains evil: Not immediate judgment. He puts up with it. They’re a problem, a thorn. Then on the Great Day he will deal with evil.

Parables: Opening our eyes

2010-08-30T21:17:00.001-07:00

Sometimes God opened people’s eyes to spiritual things:
1. He showed the Babylonian King the fourth man in the fire!
2. He showed Isaiah the throne of God.
3. He showed Stephen that Jesus was standing at the right hand of God.
4. He showed Jacob the ladder. (That one might not count, since it was a vision/dream more than a revelation of something already there but just not seen with the naked eye).
5. He showed Baalam's donkey the angel of the Lord.
6. He showed Elisha chariots of fire surrounding the enemy.
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There are things you can see only when God opens your eyes to them. Jesus used parables to open our eyes to the Kingdom of God. Isaiah: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world." 13:35
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The parables were mysteries in the sense that they showed us things not revealed fully in the Old Testament.

The Saints Will Judge Angels?

2010-06-18T03:04:00.000-07:00

I've been teaching through 1 Corinthians on Wednesday nights. I have always found 1 Corinthians 6 interesting because of this verse:
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"Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!" 6:2-3
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Unless we had that verse, it is not something we would know. It is not mentioned in any other section of Scripture. Jews had taken Daniel 7:22 to mean that saints would judge at the end times -- but a literal rendering looks to me like Daniel is saying that judgment will be rendered in favor of the saints (saints look passive -- they are not doing the judging).
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But Paul clearly say the saints will judge -- both angels and the world! of course, traditional understanding is that we will in some way actually take part in the judgment; and perhaps even the judgment of demons.
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Perhaps "judge" is in the sense of ruling. ie: Samson, Gideon, Deborah, were all judges ruling on the earth under God's leadership. Could Paul be simply reminding us that on the new earth, we will judge (rule) over the earth and even the angels?
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David Guzick writes: The destiny of redeemed men and women, to one day be higher than the angels, and to even sit in judgment of them, must have been a source of great annoyance to a certain high angel in heaven. He did not want to service an inferior creature now, and did not want to have that inferior creature one day be raised up higher than even he. So, he has rebelled against God, and is determined to keep as much of humanity as possible from even sitting in judgment of himself. We can imagine the perverse, proud pleasure Satan takes over every soul that goes to hell: "They won’t sit in judgment over me."

How could Jesus pay for eternity?

2010-04-20T00:33:00.001-07:00

Adrian Rogers said: How could Jesus in that period of time have suffered an eternity of hell? The reason is this: He being infinite suffered in a finite period of time what we being, what we being finite would suffer in an infinite period of time. The eternities were compressed upon Jesus. The sins of the world were distilled upon Jesus.

Why Was Jesus Baptized?

2010-01-25T23:15:00.000-08:00

Why did Jesus have any need to be baptized? The quick answer is, he was baptized in preparation for ministry.

1. He was Baptized like a priest preparing for service.
Baptism had at it roots leviticus 16:4,24. Priest preparing to do sacrifices would bathe. Huge pools outside the temple existed so that hte priest could prepare for ministry. The priest would put on clean garments. They were the be ritually clean before doing the work of the High Priest. This tradition later became immersion that people practiced to show repentance. Like a priest entering the temple to do work is washed, Christ is Baptized before doing the work/ministry. (Lev. 16:4-24) Note Jesus words: "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Matthew 3:15

2. Jesus was moving from private life, preparation, to public ministry. Before conquering the promised land, Joshua had to go through the Jordan. The sea parted for him and he set up 12 stones, symbolic of 12 tribes. Jesus comes to the Jordan. He is about to make war on Satan. Like Joshua, he will take the land and conquer the enemy. True conqueror has come. For Jesus, the sea does not part, the heavens part before him.

His Winnowing Fork Is In His Hand

2010-01-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

"His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:12

Winnowing fork is like a pitchfork (Rake). You use it to separate wheat from chaff.

We picture the devil with a pitchfork. We think Satan pushes people into hell. We give Satan authority that belongs to Christ. At the end of time, he will separate the righteous from the unGodly. John could not judge the heart -- He could baptize. Christ, however, will rightly judge the hearts of men.

Only God can know if you’re the real deal.

The Ax Is At The Root

2010-01-23T17:40:00.000-08:00

"The ax is already at the root of the trees"

An interesting verse, since John says the ax is at the "Root." Usually you cut down a tree at the trunk, thus leaving a stump. Who cuts down a tree by the roots? Only god!

At the root is to give the idea that judgment is already at hand, and the one who deals with sin will cut straight to the source of the problem.

Undealt With Sin

2010-01-23T17:32:00.000-08:00

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:7-12

Why is John angry when he sees Pharisees and religious leaders come to where he is baptizing? Because as the crowds "confess" their sins and get baptized, the religious leaders aren't a bit interested in confessing sins or repenting. They are wtuck in sin, unwilling change.

Pharisees thought they were too good to have to go to the judgment seat, Sadducees didn’t even believe there would an afterlife – Came to debate theology.

That is the picture of what you don’t want to be. Stubborn religion stuck in the mires of sin. They were unwilling to repent.

What happens when we don’t deal with sin? Effects of undealt with sin:
1. Unable to move forward with God. Spiritually stuck. Stagnant. Bible doesn’t pop.
2. Heart becomes hard. More we sin, the easier that sin is. H.S. has to go greater lengths to convict.
3. Wears down our spiritual shock value. Previously unthinkable behavior doesn’t seem so bad.
Judas began simply stealing from the money bag.
4. Loss of joy. (David: Restore to me the joy) (Christian cannot live in sin and enjoy it.)
5. Become superstitions: Every bad thing that happens: God is punishing me!
6. Start to act hyper-spiritual. Make up rules. (Gnat Camel)

He Shall Be Called A Nazerene

2010-01-08T17:27:00.000-08:00

Why does it say: So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene." 2:23 This is a problem verse, since that exact quote isn't in the Old Testament. So what does Matthew mean "so was fulfilled what was said through the prophets. . ."

1.This is the only time Matthew says "prophets" plural. He is not referring to one prophecy, but a picture drawn by more than one prophet.

2. In Hebrew, the word "branch" is netzer, actually only three consonantal letters: NZR.
The town NaZaReth contains the same three primary letters. In Aramaic Netzer and Nazareth sound similiar. Matthew is saying that his living in Nazerath points us back to the prophets, wh said he would be called the "nzr" or "branch."

3. Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariahall prophesied that a messiah would come who would be called: The Branch.

Isa 4:2
2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.

Isa 11:1
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

Jer 23:5
5 "The days are coming," declares the LORD,"when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch ,a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.

Jer 33:15
15 "'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line;he will do what is just and right in the land.

Zech 3:8
I am going to bring my servant, the Branch

Zech 6:12
this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Here is the man whose name is the Branch , and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD.

The Voice In Ramah

2010-01-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

"Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 18 "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." Matthew 2:16-18

Fulfilled literally means: "to fill up." Like a cup spilling over.

"A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." 2:18
1. Rachel once said: Give me children or I’ll die! (Gen 30:1)
2. Ramah is where Jews were assembled to be taken to Babylon.
3. Rachel is pictured weeping as her precious children are taken from her.
4. Herod kills children, once again Rachel’s children are taken away. He is quoting Jeremiah 31:15.
5. Next verses Jer 31:16-17, God speaks and says: Stop weeping! I’ll bring child back.

Flight To Egypt

2010-01-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

"take the child and his mother and escape [flee] to Egypt" 2:13

"Flee" pheugo (to flee): We get our word fugitive. That’s what they became! Fugitives. The family probably traveled about 175 miles. To decrease the chance of being noticed, Joseph left by night.

Where in Egypt did they flee to? Alexander the Great established a sanctuary for Jews in an Egyptian city he named after himself: Alexandria. This city was the home of Jewish philosopher and historian Philo. It is also where the Septuagint (Greek O.T.) was translated.

Consider that God even used Alexander the Great to prepare the way for his Son.

Out Of Egypt I Called My Son

2010-01-08T17:11:00.000-08:00

"So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." Matthew 2:14-15

Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1. "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son."

Out of Egypt I called my son: A new exodus is about to take place. Thus, it is right to note the Exodus, that "out of Egypt" God's Son will come. As Moses lead the children out of Egypt into the promised land, at his birth Jesus will lead his people out of sin into the promised land.

Sometimes Jesus is called a "new Moses." No! He’s the "TRUE" Moses. (Moses is a shadow of Yeshua.) Jesus is the true: Liberator. Set slaves free. Law Giver. Bread Giver. Mediator.

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves" Col. 1:13 As God reached down and rescued the Hebrews, he has rescued us from a dominion of darkness. A dungeon. Dark world.

Is it an accident Matthew quotes Hosea? No! (Hosea is told to take as his wife a prostitute, adulterous woman, and love her.) God was telling Hosea -- I’ll teach you to know my heart. The message of Hosea is: I will not give up on my people.

Temptation To Trust Herod

2010-01-08T17:04:00.000-08:00

In difficult times, tt is tempting to to trust the world, government. The problem with the world is that it is flakey. You cannot rely long term on the world. King Herod typifies this.

Herod at first seemed like a very trustworthy king. In times of severe economic hardship, Herod gave back tax money. During the famine of 25 B.C., Herod melted down gold objects in palace to buy food for poor. He Built theaters, race tracks, and in19 B.C. he began rebuilding the temple.

However, he was jealous and afraid for his position. Had High Priest Aristobulus (bro in law) drowned. Pretended to week at the funeral. Came near his death, arrested distinguished citizens of Jerusalem, ordered they be killed the moment he died. That way, he assumed, there would be weeping at his death. However, when he died the soldiers did not kill the prisioners, but set them free. . . thus there was celebration at his death!

Note some Dangers of Trials:

1. We feel free to sin. Compromise. God owes us a little. Yes, committing adultery, look at all I’ve gone through. God’s got to give me some slack. Isn’t my character – Trials reveal our character.

2. We are likely to quit. Throw in the towel. Give up.

3. We can become self centered. World begins revolve around our hurts, mistreatment. Negative.

4. We begin to base our decisions on fear instead of faith.

5. We are tempted to trust the wrong thing. Herod. Trusting God alone requires we have faith that God actually cares about our problems.

Matthew's Genealogy

2009-12-07T23:44:00.000-08:00

The Gospel of In this genealogy Matthew is not waking step by step, he’s leaping across mountain tops. What I like is how he connects the story: Abraham, David, Exile – he just keeps going. Right out of the Bible to their own day. He’s saying: We’re part of this story.

In this genealogy, Matthew identifies two key things:
.

1. Matthew identifies his virgin birth.
"Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus." 1:16
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Of whom is feminine pronoun. making it clear Jesus was born of Mary, not Joseph.
was born is passive. That means it happened to Mary. The births are always active in this genealogy -- except Jesus. Abraham begot to Isaac. But in 1:16, God acted upon Mary put Jesus in womb. Thus he is the only begotten of the Father.
.

2. Matthew identifies him as the true King of Israel.
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"and Jesse the father of King David." 1:6 Not just "father of David... father of KING David 22 Times Matthew uses the term: KING. Wants to show Jesus is the King of the Jews.
God promised David: he would always have a son on the throne of Israel. Jesus reigns for ever. At the time of Jesus’ birth, Herod is king of Israel. But he’s not a son of David (Edomite). Not the rightful heir. Why he’s scared of Jesus. The heir has come and might take his throne.
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Why 14 generations in Matthew 1:17?

Abraham – David. David – Exile. Exile – Christ.

Perhaps for ease in memorization. More probably, it points toward David.

Jews practiced Gematria, the practice of counting numerical value for letters. The numerical value of the Hebrew consonants of David is 14: DWD 4+6+4.

In effect, Matthew says it 3 times. "david, david, david."

David is the 14th entry in the list.

3. Rahab.

There are four women listed: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife) – 5th woman: Mary. Notice the second woman listed, Rahab. She was a prostitute -- a Caananite from Jericho. Think of how she must had felt of pass a man on the street, a man she knew intimately, and see him with is wife. To see the security he offers his wife, and realize that she had just been used. To have men walk by and pretend they didn’t know her. In her community she was: Despised. Abused. Hated. Used. Mocked.
.

The Hebrews came, gave her dignity. Husband. A family.

Rahab had a son. What do you think she taught that boy? To care about the outcast. So later, when he looks out in the field, he sees a poor woman working -- what do you think he thought of? His mother! And so he showed compassion on Ruth. I think Rahab taught Boaz to hace compassion on the outcast, and thus the love story of Ruth is made possible.

Spurgeon Quote

2009-12-01T22:54:00.000-08:00

I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, "You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself." My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will.

Spurgeon Quote

2009-11-26T23:38:00.001-08:00

He that reads his Bible to find fault with it will soon discover that the Bible finds fault with him.
- C.H. Spurgeon

Criswell -- The Infallibility Of Scripture

2009-10-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

“If [we] are true to that expression of faith (the infallibility of Scripture) we shall live. If we repudiate it, we shall die. God will remove our lampstand….There is no exception in this judgment….”
--W.A. Criswell

3 Things Every Believer Needs To Be Reminded Of, Part 3

2009-10-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

III. The reality of suffering.
"In this you greatly rejoice, [you can’t greatly rejoice in something you might lose] though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 peter 1:6-7

Christians in Asia Minor are being persecuted. Early on Romans saw Christianity as frenge Jews. But now they are being persecuted as athiest because they refuse to recognize the Roman Gods.

*Modern myth: If you’re a Christian, God will make you wealthy.
*Lie: if I am faithful, I’ll suffer less.

Truth is: If you measure Godliness by success you are unprepared for the reality of suffering for Christ. Peter remidns us:

1. Trials are temporary. See your trial in the light of eternity.
"for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials" V.6
In heaven we will vaguely remember those things called: Problems. Remember Stephen, being stoned, looked up and saw Jesus. Hebrews says: Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus.

2. Trials occur for a purpose.
"In this your rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials." 1:6 ESV
Note: "If necessary": GK: dei (die): Necessary. Peter says: it is necessary, planned, that you will suffer! When you go through a trial, you don’t need to know why. You do need to know: God is in charge. He is on the throne.

Most people come to Christ in a trial. God alerts us to our need because something hurt us, and we realize: I need God! Trials prove our need for a savior.

3. Trials deepen our confidence. (Prove us.)
"These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine" 1 Peter 1:7

How do you know who the phonies are? Christ came, would everyone who claimed to be Christain be taken? Some claim the gospel, but never converted. Trials are the proof of your faith.

Jesus said that not all the seed really takes root:
"The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away." Matt. 13:20-21

"of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire" 1 Peter 1:7
Gold perishes when refined by fire, the faith will endure the fire of persecution and will be proved genuine. Also, these people were losing their gold. Losing their possessions. Peter says: You’ve got something better than gold! That is a real faith in Jesus Christ. Do you believe? Yes. How much? Would you suffer for it? Trials do not prove us to God. They give us confidence.

Scot McKnight: "I recently spent some time with a young athlete who had some rough experiences at his local high school with his former friends. As a senior he had a track record of drinking and drugs but was converted to Christ. His conversion made a sudden and immediate impact on his life, so much that he found himself on an island. After games, he was no longer invited to parties; during games, he was no longer given the same opportunities to shoot the basketball; and in the hallways at school, he was no longer a hit with either the girls or his friends. He came to me for consolation. I explained that at least part of this was suffering and that he needed to guard against retaliatory speech and bitter attitudes. He began to see, in a painful way, that commitment to Christ can involve suffering."
　
　
4. Trials keep us from falling in love with the world.

They result in a deeper praise for God. "[Trials] may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:7

–Praise: When we see our savior coming, we will shout with joy.
–Glory: How do trials cause us to glorify God? We hunger for him more.
–Honor: We will say: There was a purpose for it.

Trials keep us turning to faith. Trials are tangable things. People. Cars. Sickness. You look at life and you say: There has to be more. You dig deeper, you find something you deeply love.
"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 8-9
–This is written to us!
–The goal of our faith: Salvation of our souls. It’s more. Knowing Jesus who we have not seen.

3 Things Every Believer Needs To Be Reminded Of, Part 2

2009-10-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

II. The security of our salvation.
"and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:4-5

Are you truly saved, or are you saved with an astrix. Can you lose it? How do we know we are eternally secure?

1. We are children of God. New birth. The idea of an "inheritance."
"an inheritance that can never perish" V.4
–Imperishable: Death can’t touch it.
–Spoil: Sin can’t touch it.

2. Salvation doesn’t get old.
It was powerful when I asked Jesus into my heart. . . but that was a long time ago.
"Never perish, spoil or fade" V.4
–FADE: Time can’t touch it!

If you were writing a song, you’d say: When we’ve been there, then thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun."

F.H. Beare put it beautifully: "The inheritance is untouched by death, unstained by evil, unimpaired bytime."

3. Our salvation is kept in heaven.
When I take my kids to the movies, I hold the tickets. I know they'll lose them. If it was up to you to keep your salvation, you’d lose it.

4. God’s Power shields our salvation.
"who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" V.5
We come by faith. God does the protecting.

So why is the doctrine of eternal security under attack? Because satan wants us to fear. Feel rejected. Also, some church’s use it as a means of control. A major problem today is confusion about the Scripture.

A common verse people get confused about is in Hebrews 6.
"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace." Heb. 6:4-6

this is a hypothetical situation: What IF a person could lose their salvation? Note the authors answer: if salvation could be lost, then it could not be regained. The idea would be: Once saved, then lost -- forever lost. But that is not what the Bible teaches.

Christians need to be reminded of the safety we have found in Christ. Our salvation does not get old, worn out or stained by sin. We are safe in Christ.

3 Things Every Believer Needs To Be Reminded Of, Part 1

2009-10-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 1:3-12

V.1-10 are 1 massive run-on sentence.
McKnight: "Peter’s grammar is wonderfully elegant as well as profoundly expressive of the grandeur of his subject: Salvation."

He goes from thought to thought:
1. Praise expressed. V.3-5
2. Digression on joy despite suffering. V.6-7
3. Digression on love and joy in anticipation of the end. V.8-9
4. Digression on the prophetic search for salvation. V.10-12

I. The centrality of the Resurrection.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" 1:3

He starts out like a Jewish prayer. (Blessed art thou...)

What does the resurrection do:

1. The resurrection makes new birth possible.
"New Birth" GK: "anagennao": to beget or bear again. God is the active worker here: "he has given us new birth" It is the gift of life. Spiritual life this time. (First physical life)

Tom Nelson: "It is as if we came from the womb of God."

You are saved because of the resurrection. New Birth gives us a change of status with God: Not children of devil, of God.

Life has to come from somewhere! A parent gives life to their children. Jesus was resurrected, thus giving us spiritual life out of his own life.

2. The resurrection gives us hope. Our hope is living because our hope is a person.
"new birth into a living hope" 1:3

Hope is your excited anticipation of the future. We say "Hope" we use it: Maybe, maybe not. Hope it rains? Not how the Bible uses HOPE. A confident unchanging expectation of something that will occur. The Coming of Christ is the Blessed Hope. It is a fact. It is going to happen.
Our hope is not based on something we have done. It is based on a person who died for our sin. Our hope is a person.

3. The N.T. sees the redemption act as: Death, Burial, Resurrection.
In the Scriptures, the priest would enter the Holy of Holies with bells. They needed to know he was alive, because their redemption was staked on this guy. Our mediator is alive and well.

This (the Resurrection) is central to Christian teaching! Once a year Christianity celebrates this thing called: Easter. A reminder: Whatever you’ve been preaching – get back to the resurrection!

In the area of apologetics, we’re making the wrong argument! We’re staking our claim in the wrong place. Saw ben Steins movie. "Expelled." About allowing intellegent design to be taught. This is where Christians are staking their hope these days. We can prove the world is created. It’s so observable it doesn’t need to be proven! Doesn’t change anyone. Need to recenter our thinking. The Bible does not argue creation. It assumes creation.

We should instead focus our energy on the apologetics of the Resurrection. If Jesus really rose from the dead, it has life changing consequences for us.

A friend asked me. "Do you ever doubt?" yes "What do you do?" When I doubt I study the resurrection. Because the Resurrection proves: God has answers I never imagined. If God can raise the dead, then I don't have a problem with a world wide flood or Jonah.

Gary Habermass: "The resurrection is a rock that can bear the weight of Christianity."

Creed Or Confession ?

2009-09-27T00:14:00.000-07:00

This is important to Baptist Life.

In his book, "The Baptist Heritage" Leon McBeth explains:

"A confession designates what people do believe; a creed what they must believe. A confession is voluntary and serves to inform, educate and inspire. A creed is required and serves to disicipline and exclude. A confession offers guidelines under the authority o Scripture; a creed tends to become binding authority, in subtle ways displacing the Bible." p.686-687

Unusual Descriptions Of The Disciple

2009-09-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

Normal titles: "Christian." "Disciple." "Follower." Peter calls us some strange things:

I. Strangers.
"To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia" 1 Peter 1:1

These are covenant terms for the Jews. Since the 500-600 B.C., the Jew were the dispersion. Called "The dia-spora." Israel considered themselves aliens and strangers. Cast out. We are now in the covenant people of God. From the cross on, God has taken Gentile and Jew and brought us together. We stand in this world as God’s people.

That’s how we are to see ourselves in relationship to the world. We don’t belong. We’re aliens. Alien: "Para-Apo-dimos." (Para: along side of. Like a para church group) (Apo: Away from.) (dimos: the people democracy) –Away from my people. I’m along side of it. I’m not part of the world. I’m away from my people. Aliens.

You and I are Christians. America is where we are at. We are not where we belong. Like Joseph, who could have had his own pyramid. He said: Get me out of here! Don’t belong.

Dispersion: Diaspora. "To sow seed." Though we’re scattered, we are to sow seed. When stephen was stoned, the Christains were scattered, and immediately Philip starts preaching where he goes.

An Alien and a Dispersed one is not expected to fit in to the world where they are.

II. Chosen.
"who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood" 1 Peter 1:2

See the Trinities work: Chosen by the foreknowledge of the father. Sanctified by the Spirit. Obedient to Jesus (Lord: Adoni). / Saved by Jesus.

Chosen for what? Two things:

Chosen for OBEDIENCE!
"Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father... for obedience to Jesus Christ"
Chosen for SALVATION.
"Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the father... for... sprinkling by his blood."
"Foreknowledge": GK: Prognosis: forethought.
The Mystery: That we must repent and turn to him. Yet: He chose us. To deny the mystery, you’ll lose your mind. The idea that God chooses some people to go to hell: "Double Predestination." The Bible never talks about this.

"Sprinkling by his blood"
Not a Christian because you tried to emulate Jesus. Must be blood. In the Old Testament, if you touched something dead you became dead – had to be cleansed. Considered dead also. Offering of the Red Heffer. No yoke had ever set. Place hands on the Hefer, pronounce guilty, burn it to ashes. It was rendered as a sin offering. Took water, ashes put ash in the water. Hissop, touch it in the water, he would sprinkle it toward you. In that which God provides for you, one drop of one bit of that fountain – the hem of your garment, you are clean. Clean by the application of what God does.

We have been "sprinkled" (Perfect tense): Never needs to do again.

The Spirit carries this out. "through the sanctifying work of the Spirit"
"Sanctifying" hagiasmos (hag-ee-as-mos'). Work of the Spirit on going work of salvation.

III. Rich.
"Grace and peace be yours in abundance." 1 Peter 1:2
(Abundance: Fullest measure)
Grace in fullest measure: There is nothing more that this God can do for you than he has already done. He has given the best of heaven. God can do no more than raise his son from the dead. God can do no more than to take enemies and make them children.

1 Peter -- Biography of Peter

2009-09-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

Peter’s story is one of: A CHANGED LIFE!
"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:1

Apostles: One who was personally called by Jesus to a special ministry of founding the church, serving as his ambassadors.

I. God Chose An Ordinary Man (His Family)

Known as: Simon. Cephas. Bar Jonah. Peter. (Rock)
Ran a fishing business in Bethsaida
Had a brother named Andrew. (Andrew a disciple of Jon the Baptist. John said: Behold, the Lamb of God! Andrew went and got Peter said: We’ve found the Messiah!
Jesus called Peter and Andrew to be "Fisher’s of men." (Wasn’t a first meeting)
He was married. (Jesus healed Peter’s mother in law) Paul said Peter took his wie with him on missionary journey’s.

II. God Chose An Easily Inspired Man. (Time with Jesus)
Peter is easily inspired. His heart is moved to faith quickly.

When Jesus wanted to preach from a boat, they got in Simons boat. They then catch a huge number of fish. As if Jesus is saying: Think I know what I’m talking about?
Went up on a mountain chose 12 disciples. He appointed them "Apostles."
Peter’s name is always first in the list of apostles.
On a mountain in Ceassearia Philippi: Who do men say I am? You are the Christ!
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter , and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matt. 16:17-19
Jesus says: I must die. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Not so Lord!" Jesus: Get behind me Satan!
Walking on water. Peter came out to him! (Inspired)
Last night: Washed feet. Not me! Give me a bath!
One will betray me. Not me! "Rooster crows, you will deny me 3 times." Jesus’ arrest, Peter comes out with a sword. He is trying to remain faithful. Peter does deny Jesus 3 times. He weeps bitterly.
The women come with empty tomb stories. He is the first to enter.
When Jesus appears to them on the shore, Jesus asks him 3 times: Do you love me?

III. God Chose A Moldable Man. (Early Church)

He suggested choosing a replacement for Judas.
Preached at Pentecost.
Peter once told Jesus: You don’t need to die on a cross. Later he said: This is the most important thing ever! "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24-25
Peter was taken twice before the Sanhedrin. Thrown in prison, released.
He dreamed about a sheet from heaven. 3 times. (3 denials) God is molding peter! He was teaching him: Don’t deny who I am. Don’t deny anyone I send you to. Went to Cornealius. Lead to the Jerusalem Council. Rebuked by Paul for hanging out with Jews too much

IV. God Chose A Dedicated Man (His death)

1. Probably killed the same year as the great fire of Rome, A.D. 64
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. 18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" John 21:17-19

2. Tertelliun: Early Christian apologist, writer of literature indicated Peter was murdered.
Church father, historian: Origen says, "Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downwards, as he himself had desired to suffer" What did he not want? He pleaded with them not to kill him as they had Jesus.

Purpose Of First Peter

2009-09-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

First Peter was written for a number of reasons. I think the primary reason related to answering two questions.

First: How can a free people live in the confines of the world? If Christianity sets men and women free, makes them equal, gives value to slaves: How can Christian’s continue to live in the world? Won’t a wife be a worse wife if she is a Christian? Slave be a bad slave? You can’t tell a woman she’s got great worth and think she’ll still be a good wife. Can’t give slaves equality with masters and not think they’ll leave. How are we to live practically in this world.
　
Second: What do we do when the world doesn’t like our message.
Christianity started out with a bang. Peter preaches, 3,000 saved. What can stop this? Well, if we kill a few of you, behead an apostle, beat you, stone Stephen. . . and that’s the warm up act. So Peter needs to write an open letter to Christianity explaining how we are to deal with the expected persecution. Is there a plan?

1 Peter -- Authorship

2009-09-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

Problem with Peter authorship: –The Greek style of 1 Peter is "too accomplished" for Peter.
We underestimate what fishermen were. Jesus spoke with great clarity.

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

Some contend that Silas was a contributer to the letter. Perhaps polishing Peter’s ideas.
"With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it." 1 Peter 5:12

Reasons in support of Peter the Apostle as the author:

1. He is named as the author.

2. The author has seen the sufferings of Jesus. "To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings" 1 Peter 5:1

3. Similarities between the teaching of Chirst and 1 Peter. An author who spent time with jesus.

4. Similarties between Peter’s speeches in Acts and 1 Peter.

Use of "Tree" for Cross:
"The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead — whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree." Acts 5:30-31

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24
"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree" acts 10:39

God’s "Purpose" for the death of Jesus:
"This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." Acts 2:23-24
"He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." 1 Peter 1:20

Probably written near the outset of Nero’s persecution of the Church.

License For Immorality

2009-09-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

"godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." Jude 4

When we act immorally, behave in an unGodly manner -- thinking all the while, "I'll just get forgiveness for this later" -- we are using God's grace as a license for immorality. This is obviously an offense to the death of the Jesus. It slaps the King who loves us dearly squarely in the face.

Notice, Jude not only says that they treat grace as a llicense for immorality, but that it is an offense to his sovereignty. It says, "I don’t need God to be in control of my life! The last thing I need is a Lord. I'm doing fine as king of my own life. I just need Jesus for his forgiveness." Thus they "deny Jesus HCirst our only Sovereign Lord."

If all you have is forgiveness, empty of any Lordship, you do not have salvation.

Have Enough Faith To Fear God

2009-09-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

I was thinking this week as I prepared a message on sexual purity, some people don’t have enough faith to fear God. We think that having a lot of faith is someone who walks on water or does miracles, or even prays a lot.

I submit that someone who lives a pure life is a person who rightly fears God. They are a person of faith. They believe God will indeed one day call all men to account. To live life knowing that we will one day stand before the judge takes great faith.

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." Heb. 13:4 "Marriage bed kept: (KJV, ESV: undefiled.) Idea: HOLY!

An immoral person is a practical atheist. They may say they believe in God, but the truth is theylive as if there will be no judgment. The practical athiest keeps his foot in both camps. Spiritually he says he believe, but it doesn’t change his life any.

10 Commandments: Sabbath and False Witness

2009-09-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

According to the Jewish way of arranging the ten words on the tablets, Sabbath and Bearing False Witness were parallel on opposite stones.

To work on Sabbath bore false witness against God. It said: "Our God is not a good god. He is like the gods of Egypt that enslaved us." But to rest on Sabbath said: "There is no God like YHWH! He is good. Asking us to work and be productive six days, but giving us a seventh day full of rest." It bore witness that God is not a slave driver, but a compassionate and good God. The Sabbath reflects the nature of Yahweh.

Science In Job, Part 2

2009-08-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

God asked Job 70 questions.

.
"Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said" Job 38:1 God speaks in the storm of life. A storm, like Sinai. "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me." Job 38:3
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1. The earths foundation:
.

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone— " Job 38:5-6
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–"Where"– The space for things to exist had to be created.
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–The size of earth is perfect for life.
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2. The sound of creation.
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"while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?" Job 38:7
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The Hebrew word for "sang" is renan; it means the emitting of a loud, shrill or piercing sound. The above verse then, is declaring stars emit loud, shrill sounds which are audible.In 1942, the U.S. Army scientists were testing radar equipment. Their receivers picked up some extremely high-pitched noises of such intensity, the sets could not be properly operated. They discovered this was not jamming created by the German military defenses, but high frequency noises from stars. You can hear examples of this here. (website)

Stars can also be referring to angels.
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3. The existence of water. (Where did water come from?)
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"Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, 9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, 10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, 11 when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?" Job 38:8
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4. How God deals with the wicked:
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"Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, 13 that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? 14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. 15 The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken." Job 38:12-15
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–Sometimes he uses creation to "shake out" the wicked!
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–The Lord gave the earth "shape." (Like a seal)
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–God declares that he is indeed just.

5. Hydrothermal Vents: God asked Job about the "springs" in the sea:
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"Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?" Job 38:16
In the last 30 years underwater exploration revealed huge springs of fresh water pouring out of the ocean floor!
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A complaint about Noah: Not enough water to cover the mountains. Some say maybe the mountains were smaller.
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–Water came from the earth. There was more then. Returned to earth.
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Matthew Maury (1806-1873) is considered the father of oceanography. His wife was reading a portion of the Bible to him. While listening, he noticed the expression "paths of the sea" in Psalms 8:8. Upon his recovery, Maury took God at his word and went look ing for these paths. We are indebted to his discovery of the warm and cold continental currents. His book on oceanography is still considered a basic text on the subject and is still used in universities. Maury used the Bible as a guide to scientific discovery. (website)
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6. Spiritual things:
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"Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?" Job 38:17
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Vastness of creation: "Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this." Job 38:18
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Nature of light and dark: "What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? 20 Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?" Job 38:19-20
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The eternal nature of God: "Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!" Job 38:21
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7. The storm:
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"Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail, 23 which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle? 24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? 25 Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm, 26 to water a land where no man lives, a desert with no one in it, 27 to satisfy a desolate wasteland and make it sprout with grass? 28 Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew?" Job 38:22-28
He’s not giving answers here, he’s asking questions.
He leaves it a mystery for man to find out.
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8. The Arctic ice caps.

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"From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens 30 when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen?" Job 38:29

Waters become hard as stone -- Not LAKES... Oceans. "surface of the deep."
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Lived in Saudi Arabia. How did he know about Arctic ice caps.
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9. The Stars.
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"Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? 32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? 33 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up [God's] dominion over the earth?" Job 38:31-33
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On the fourth day God created the stars. "Pleiades" and "orion" were the best known constellations. Do you know the laws of heaven? We are still studying the heavens.
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10. The Clouds.
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"Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? 35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'? 36 Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind? 37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens 38 when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together?" Job 38:34-38
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11. The Lion and Ravens.
"Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions 40 when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket? 41 Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?" Job 38:39-41
The ravens young cry out to "God." They cry out to God, not Job.
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12. Mountain Goats.
"Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? 2 Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth? 3 They crouch down and bring forth their young; their labor pains are ended. 4 Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds; they leave and do not return." Job 39:1-4
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God not only gives life to man, but all animals. It is beautiful to him.
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13. Wild Donkey’s.

"Who let the wild donkey go free? Who untied his ropes? 6 I gave him the wasteland as his home, the salt flats as his habitat. 7 He laughs at the commotion in the town; he does not hear a driver's shout. 8 He ranges the hills for his pasture and searches for any green thing." Job 39:5-8

The "wild donkey" appears 10 times in the O.T., 4 times in Job. Most of the contexts include something about the lonely desert life it leads. Here it is talking about its freedom.
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14. Wild Oxen:
"Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night? 10 Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he till the valleys behind you? 11 Will you rely on him for his great strength? Will you leave your heavy work to him? 12 Can you trust him to bring in your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?" Job 39:9-12
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This section consists entirely of questions. 7 in all. The ancient farmer might admire the strenth of wild oxen, but they were too dangerous to use.
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15. Ostrich:

"The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, but they cannot compare with the pinions and feathers of the stork. 14 She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand, 15 unmindful that a foot may crush them, that some wild animal may trample them. 16 She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain, 17 for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense. 18 Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, she laughs at horse and rider." Job 39:13-18
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God moves from one of the strongest animals, to one of the silliest. It’s a large, flightless bird that seems to neglect taking care of its young. When danger comes, she flees! It can outrace a horse!
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16. Horse.
"Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? 20 Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? 21 He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. 22 He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. 23 The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. 24 In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. 25 At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!' He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry." Job 39:19-25
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Obviously describing a warhorse. Leap like a locusts – a huge horse leaping is impressive.
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17. Hawk:
"Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread his wings toward the south? 27 Does the eagle soar at your command and build his nest on high? 28 He dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag is his stronghold. 29 From there he seeks out his food; his eyes detect it from afar. 30 His young ones feast on blood, and where the slain are, there is he." Job 39:26-30
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"It had long been thought by generations of scientists that birds of prey (such as eagles and falcons) located their prey by means of an acute sense of smell, however it has since then been discovered that such birds actually have a very poor sense of smell. Instead, ornithologists have determined that such birds have remarkable vision capabilities. In fact, it has been discovered that while some such birds are diving to catch their prey, the shape of the cornea varies during the descent, enabling it to maintain a perfect focus. In about 1500 BC, Job 28:7 makes note of the falcon's excellent vision, and in Job 39:27-29 it states that the eagle looks down from an inaccessible cliff, and spies out its prey "from afar." (website)

Science In Job, Part 1

2009-08-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

The first set of observations are "observation" and "revelation." Man looking at God.
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1. The moon does not shine on its own. Job 25:5
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2. The earth is suspended over nothing.
"He spreads out the northern [skies] over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing." Job 26:7 Ancient pagans believed that the hero "Atlas" carried earth on his shoulders.
Others believed earth balanced on the back of an elephant, rested back of a turtle.
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3. Air has weight.
From Aristotle, Dark Ages, Renaissance: Scientific world thought air was weightless. In 1643 Italian Torricelli discovered barometric pressure. "He imparted weight to the wind..." Job 28:25 NASB
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4. Cavemen?
""But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs. Of what use was the strength of their hands to me, since their vigor had gone from them? Haggard from want and hunger, they roamed the parched land in desolate wastelands at night. In the brush they gathered salt herbs, and their food was the root of the broom tree. They were banished from their fellow men, shouted at as if they were thieves. 6 They were forced to live in the dry stream beds, among the rocks and in holes in the ground." 30:1-6
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5. Cycle of weather:
"He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; 28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. 29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?" Job 36:27-29

"The drops of water which eventually pour down as rain first become vapor and then condense to tiny liquid water droplets in the clouds. These finally coalesce into drops large enough to overcome the updrafts that suspend them in the air. The water cycle was not fully understood until about 30 B.C. by a Roman engineer named Marcus Vitruvius. Yet every aspect of the water cycle was fully revealed to mankind in 1600 B.C.! The Bible's description is in perfect harmony with modern science." (Website)
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6. Job refers to the surprising amount of water that can be held in clouds:
"He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight." Job 26:8
"He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them." Job 27:11

Second Commandment

2009-08-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [ generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:4-6
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There are four parts to this commandment: The rule, the reason, the warning and the promise.

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The rule: Don’t make a idol. Did not mean that they could not use tools, produce artwork. Later, built tabernacle, God sent his Spirit to make artistic design.
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The reason: Because God is a jealous God. We belong to him.
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The Warning: God will punish the generations to come. (4th gen)
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The Promise. He will show love to a thousand generations.

Idolatry is usually the pursuit of something that is otherwise good. Enslavement to something we love. We love our spouse, kids, job, health, beauty, pets, furniture, wardrobe. That’s fine!
Okay to get married, have a dog, have children. We elevate them, they become gods for us.
God gave us creation to rule over, but soon created things rule over us.

The danger of idolatry is that our children become slaves to the same things we do. Thus they will be punished to the "fourth generation." But those who love the Lord will be blessed to a thousand generations. A generation in the Bible is 40 years. Thus God promises a blessing of 40,000 years!

"Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry." 1 Cor. 10:14 (Flee: Run! Escape! Danger!)
FLEE: pheugo (fyoo’-go) Verb: Run away. Shun. Have nothing to do with!

We were created as worshippers of God. We sinned -- but are still worshippers. You are created to worship. You WILL Worship. "I’m an atheist." You’ll worship your mind. Worship: Vintage car you are restoring. You decide: that’s of highest value and wroth. Season tickets. Home improvements. Flawless lawn. Pet.

"Dear children, keep yourselves from idols." 1 John 5:21

"I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD." Psalm 31:6

"Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, O LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this." Jer. 14:22

Grace in the Ten Commandments

2009-08-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." 20:2

The 10 commandmetns do not start with what we do for God, but what God did for us. This sets the foundation for the giving of the Law. It is now about how we earn our good favor with God, but that he rescued us by grace and now we obey out of love.

They were slaves. What did they DO to get out? Complained, rebelled – God did the work! GOD turned nile to blood. God sent hail. God sent frogs. God sent darkness. God sent boils. All the people did was watch God work. The work of our salvation, the defeat of Satan, is in God's hands, not ours. All we must do is repent and turn to him.

And God Spoke All These Words

2009-08-10T16:51:00.000-07:00

"And God spoke all these words" Exodus 20:1

In Ex. 19:9 God says: I’m coming down, people will hear me talking to you. Then they’ll put their trust in you. It is important the people hear the actual voice of God. So they know Moses isn’t making this up! The Scriptures bear the witnes sof the community that heard them.

Why did the Hebrews trust and obey Moses? Not because he was a good speaker or winsom personality, but because they had seen God upon him. It was important that Moses be a weak physical vessal so that when filled with God's presence people would know it was the Lord at work, and not Moses alone.

"Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:20-21

3 Purposes Of The Ten Commandments

2009-08-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

In the Bible the decalogue is not called "The Ten Commandments." Instead the Torah refers to them as: "The tablets of the covenant" "tablets of the testimony" "the ten words"

Three purposes of the Commandments:

1. To reveal sin. God's standard shows us where we fall short.

2. To direct discipleship. Through His commandments, God directs us.

3. To show us God. The 10 commandments teach us about God.

1. "No other gods..." He is the only God. Unique.
2. "No idols". . . God is Spirit. Does not want us making physical representations.
3. "Do not misuse the name of the Lord. . ." God is honorable, treated with respect.
4. "Remember the Sabbath. . ." teaches us that God is sovereign over events of daily life.
First four are our relationship to God. Last 6 are our relationship with one another.
5. "Honor your father and mother." God wants us to respect authority.
6. "You shall not murder" God himself is the giver of life.
7. "Not commit adultery" teach us about God? Faithful. Pure.
8. "Not steal." God is our provider. Trust him!
9. "Not lie": Character of God is truth! "I am the way, the truth, life..."
10. "Not covet": Don’t resent it when he blesses someone else!

Hermeneutic Plagerism

2009-08-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15 KJV
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I recently went to a church's website and noticed they had posted their sermons for the past few years. I'm always courious what kinds of titles pastors have -- so I checked. WHOA! For years this pastor has been preaching, series by series, sermon by sermon -- verbatium the messages produced by a mega church pastor. I felt my blood start to boil. But I thought: wait a minute, maybe he's just using the titles. nothing wrong with that. But as i opened up the outlines, I recognized them as exactly what this other pastor was preaching. He was stealing the entire sermon.

The difference in study and stealing.I read a lot of sermons. As I study a text, if another pastor has a sermon, I don't have a problem reading it. My friend Tony said, "well, there's not a problem with that. We read commentaries to help us understand and apply the text, and that's all a good sermon is -- commentary and application."My concern is when a pastor goes from simply looking over a sermon and taking some helpful tips to reusng the entire sermon -- entire series -- entire years work!

At what point are we freeloading off the spiritual relationship of another person? We are trusting another pastor to speak with God and wrestle with the text.

Let me put it this way: After a sermon is complete, the preacher should have some of his own blood on the floor. It is a painful process -- a wresteling match with God! We painfully seek after God to discover what he has to say from the Word. But if we simpy reporduce what another man has said, are we not choosing to let him wrestle for us.

The loss is not only to the congregation, the pastor himself losesbecause he personally did not struggle and grow through the process of sermon writing. He did not deepen any.

Sermon preparation is as much about our own spiritual walk and growth as it is the congregations. It is our joy to search the riches of Scripture and find the dimonds. But, to always rely on someone else to show you where they are at -- kinda boring.

A right use of other people's sermons:

1. for personal growth.

2. As an aid for study.

3. As an aide for more ideas.

4. For illustrations.

My grandfather often told me to read other peoples sermons. He knew it would teach me to preach simply by watching and reading how great men approached the Bible. What I did not do, what he would have chastized me for, was skipping my own preparation time to bring the congregation prepackaged messages.

The danger is when only one sermon is used and then that sermon is copied verbatium. there is nothing left of the preachers own study and struggle. The sermon is a microwave dinner that is missing any meat or personal passion. He hasn't learned to cook, only reheat and serve.

A Sign

I think this is very much a sign of the American church straying ever further from the Bible as our source of Spiritual insight. We started in Sunday School. It is not enough to give a teacher a Bible and say, "Please prepare a lesson out of this." My how they would grow from such an eperience! But we feel the need to put with it curriculum. This actually says to the prospective teacher, "I don't trust your walk with the Lord. i don't think the Bible is sufficient to lead you. You need this. . ."then we did it to Bible study! it is no longer enough to simply have Bible study lead by God's Holy Spirit. . . now it either has to be; blackaby, warren, macarthur, piper, ortz, group, lifeway. . . sigh.

How to prevent hermenutic plagrism:

1. First read the text alone, without the aid of commentary, other sermons or even a study Bible.

2. Write what you think the text is saying: To its first hearers, to the people of God today.

3. Begin to build an outline.

4. NOW it's time to look at what others have done. it's time, as Stephen King would say, to open the door. Begin talking to others, reading what others have said. This keeps the sermon from simply being one persons opinion. (A sermon written in a vaccuum can possibly be as dangerous as a sermon stolen. But I would prefer the vaccuum.)

What Did Jesus Give To?

2009-08-04T14:55:00.001-07:00

I think we can easily identify three area’s where Jesus gave himself. He didn’t give himself to every cause. In fact, sometimes he called people away from the cause they were giving to and asked them to pour into a new cause – the Kingdom. He didn’t join the zealots who wanted to overthrow Rome, he called the zealots to give themselves to the Kingdom of God. He taught that we should pay taxes, but somehow managed to even convince more than one tax collector that the real cause to live for was the Lord.

Every cause is not worth my energy, resources or my time. There are what I call the Big Three that Jesus committed himself to deeply. I should do the same.

1. Jesus gave to the church. "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25) He died for the church.

2. Jesus gave to the needy. Most notably, he gave them bread when they were hungry instead of sending them away as the Apostles wanted him to do.

3. Jesus gave to missions. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost ." (Luke 19:10) Jesus gave the ultimate gift to missions when he gave his life. But that’s not all he gave. He also was himself the greatest foreign missionary ever. He came from heaven to earth to reach out to the lost.

I believe deeply that if I am to be like Jesus, I must love the same things Jesus loved. Jesus loved the church. Jesus loved the hurting. Jesus loved the lost. My time, my resources, my leadership, my energy, my money all belong in these things.

How Could Jesus Take Joy In The Cross?

2009-08-04T14:50:00.001-07:00

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2
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I understand that Jesus came to die – but how could he take joy in it? Was there pain as they nailed his hands to the cross? Pain as they pierced his feet and secured them to splintered wood?
There had to be great pain! Yet, his heart wasn’t angry. He wasn’t bitter as he did this. In fact, as he is crucified and endures unimaginable pain, his emotion is joy!
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As he dies on the cross, Jesus is not enraged with mankind who has put him there, he is joyful to do this for us. How? How can that be? That is so far from my heart that I find myself gaping at his joy. I am angry at the prospect that he was joyful in the face of such terror, because it means that I also must learn to be joyful in pain.
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But joy isn’t the only emotion. The joy can be explained. It doesn’t get easier for someone wanting to mimic the attitude of Jesus, but it does become clearer. He wasn’t laughing and smiling, shouting hollow "praise the Lord!" as they killed him. He wasn’t trite. His joy sprang from another emotion. Love.

For The Joy Set Before Him

2009-08-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2
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To me, that’s an amazing verse. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus – who for the joy set before him endured the cross." Those word’s take time to understand. They are out of my league. For "joy" he endured a "cross"?
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When I come to a verse like that I am convicted of how different Jesus’ character is from my own. I do not enjoy crosses! In fact, if I have to endure suffering, you better believe I’m going to complain and make sure a lot of people know about it. But Jesus never complained about the cross. Never. In fact, in Luke he pressed his face toward Jerusalem and set out resolutely toward the city to face his final days. There was in him a steady determination to give his life on the cross.
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I came across this a few years ago when doing sermon research. I typed "regeneration" into the search engine, and got "Looking for Regeneration? Find exactly what you want today. www.eBay.com." EBAY! I do not think ebay is the place to get regeneration. Only one man could buy us regeneration, that was Jesus.

Greater Things Than Jesus ?

2009-08-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12
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Adrian Rogers, the former pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church, once asked "How many of you that say you believe, are doing the works of Jesus and greater works? You may say, I’m a believer, but I’m not doing the works of Jesus. Something’s wrong, and it’s not the Scripture."
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I heard about a battle where the Flag bearer got out in front of the regiment in the heat of battle. Someone said to the colonel: Should we bring the flag back to the regiment? "No, bring the regiment up to the flag." We read a Scripture like this, we are tempted to bring the flag back to where we are. Tempted to dumb it down so it fits our experience. We need to rise to the Scripture.
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But it’s hard to believe the Bible actually says we will do "even greater things" than Jesus. I mean, hello – Jesus raised dead people!
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This is what we have to realize: The life of Jesus continues in each of us. He indwells us. He lives in us. When we were saved, we died to self and the life we now live is given completely to God.

Imagine The Incarnation

2009-08-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

I believe that when Jesus became flesh he didn’t "cheat." That is: He actually became flesh. In no way did he give up his deity, but he gave up the privilege of God. For instance, he gave up power, knowledge, omnipresence. These are privileges of God, but they are not the person of God.

Imagine The Scene
I want you to think about what it must have been like for Jesus to give up everything and become one of us. I wrote this years ago in a book for our family called: "Hyper over Christmas." I think it helps us understand what Jesus did. I’ll use several Scriptures to draw this together, but remember not to replace my images or dialogue with the Bible! Hopefully this will help you understand what Jesus did for us. Read it out loud.

I wonder how Jesus felt the day he entered Mary’s womb. Was there anticipation; excitement; joy along mingling with quiet dread? As Jesus prepared to leave heaven, he knew fully what it meant for him to become flesh. He knew that if he put on human skin, we would tear that same skin off him with a Roman cat-of-nine-tails. He knew that if he accepted human hands and human feet, we would drive nails through them. He knew that taking a skull of flesh meant we would press a crown of thorns into it. He knew that becoming flesh and blood would mean that we would spill that blood.

Imagine the scene: All heaven is in an uproar. The angels who have spent every hour of every day in holy worship now pause as something strange happens before their eyes. Walking from the throne comes the glowing, brilliant second person of the Trinity. They have always loved him, but they’ve never seen him quite like this, separate. He comes confidently down the steps leading from the throne, and then turns to face the one seated high and exalted.

A seraph who has been flowing up and down over the throne starts to fly toward the one who has stepped off the exalted place, but he stops suddenly, innately aware that all he needs to do is watch. Every angel wants to leap forward and adore this one who has come from the throne, but they know this is a holy moment and it should not be interrupted.

There is an awed hush through the heavens as the angelic beings watch. God stands before God and suddenly he kneels before the throne. The angels have never seen anything like this.

"Here I am," God says to God, "send me."

Hebrews 10:5-7 tell us what Jesus said "when he Christ came into the world." (Heb. 10:5) What an amazing peek we are given behind the scenes; to actually be given the words Jesus said to the Father as he entered the world!

"I know your heart," the Son says, "You were never interested in sacrifices and offerings." He looks down, away from the throne. He can see the earth and the smoke rising from the temple in Jerusalem. "You don’t want burnt offerings and sin offerings."

He glances up to the throne, then back to the earth. He can see his human mother. "You’ve prepared a body for me." He thinks about all the words of the Old Testament he has instructed the prophets to write. "It is written about me in the scroll."

"The scroll?" An angel asks.

"The Law, the Prophets, the Psalms," Michael says softly. They don’t want to miss a word, but there is no more to be said. For a moment the heavens are silent, and the angels are intensely aware that the two are simply breathing in each others presence – as if about to be separated for a long time.

The angel’s jaws drop as they watch something strange happen. With a brush of his hands the glow that has consumed Jesus, the Shekinah, tumbles away. There is a collective gasp that rumbles across heaven; Did he actually take off his glory?

"This is humiliating!" One angel objects.

"Be quiet!" Michael chastises the angel.

Jesus is smiling as he moves, holding out his hands he says: "Omnipresence." There is a pause. Is he giving this away also? His hands touch his chest and then reach out again toward the throne, "All power belongs to you."

"What’s he doing?" Michael asks Gabriel.

Gabriel remembers the message he gave Mary. Is this what it meant? "God with us," he had been commanded to say. Now he took it in more fully. "He’s stripping himself," Gabriel says with the highest respect. "He’s giving it all up!"

Awe washes over Michael. Something strange is happening right there before the throne. The glowing, all powerful, all knowing Being that came from the throne now looks strangely ordinary.
One angel has tears in his eyes, "He looks so. . ."

"So human," Gabriel says.

Paul told us about this moment in Philippians 2:5-7. "Christ Jesus, who being the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."

The angels don’t know whether to weep or applaud. Now a voice comes from the throne, it is the sound of gentle thunder: "You are my Son, today I have become your father." (Psalm 2:7)
There is a long silence, but the angels know its not over yet. Something more still has to be given away. He does look so weak, even puny just compared to the angels.

Jesus, who has been kneeling at the throne suddenly lays his head on the top step. "Here I am, I have come to do your will, O God!" His voice cracks and the angels realize he’s crying. Not tears of remorse or sorrow; these are tears of the deepest love. Then, as if giving up his very soul, he presses his head against the step and exhales. The angels are immediately aware something else has left him, but what? He lays still, as if sleeping. Did he die? No!

"His knowledge," an archangel whispers.

And then, before any of them can be sure of what just happened, he is gone! The Father and the Spirit remain, but the Son is gone! It feels strange for him to be missing from their universe; he’s always been everywhere. Where did he go? Michael points, "There," he says.
They can see the Holy Spirit sweeping him away, out of the courts of heaven.
"Where is he going?" An angel asks.

Gabriel doesn’t say anything, but he knows. He’s going to a womb.
They will never know how much he loves them, Gabriel thinks as the Spirit carries Jesus further and further from them and hides him in the womb of Mary.

Think this through. What exactly did Jesus give up in order to become "flesh"?

Wait a minute!
I can already head the question, "Wait a minute, David! If Jesus gave up his power, omnipresence and his privileges of being God – how did he do all those miracles?"
He was filled with the Holy Spirit who empowered him. He relied on the Father and the Spirit to strengthen him. In other words, he had faith in God. God filled him, led him and empowered him. After his baptism the Gospel of Mark tells us that "the Spirit sent him out into the desert." (Mark 1:12) The Greek actually is stronger, it says Jesus was "driven" into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus himself told us that his miracles did not come from himself – they came from the Father.
–"I have shown you many great miracles from the Father." (John 10:32)
–"the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)
–"By myself I can do nothing ; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me." (John 5:30)
–"So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."(John 8:28-29)
Do not think that I am in any way dishonoring the deity of Jesus. What I want to do is remind you of the importance of his humanity was well. Do we really believe he became like us and suffered and was tried in every way like us? Did he know what it was like to have to trust God? He did.

Zechariah's Eight Night Visions

2009-07-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

1. The horseman: God watches the nation. 1:7-17
2. The horns and smiths: The nations judged. 1:18-21
3. The measuring line: Jerusalem restored. 2:1-13
4. The high priest: Israel cleansed. 3:1-10
5. The olive trees: God empowers his people. 4:1-14
6. The flying scroll: Evil purged from the land. 5:5-11
7. The ephah: Evil taken to Babylon. 5:5-11
8. The four chariots: The Gentiles judged. 6:1-8

Zechariah Background

2009-07-27T16:59:00.000-07:00

11th of the 12 minor prophets.
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"In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo" Zech 1:1
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Background:

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His father, Berechiah, probably died young. Grandfather Iddo adopted him and raised him. "Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo" Ezra 6:14
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From Judah. (Where he lived, not his tribe. From Southern Kingdom)
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They are a family of priests. God often uses priests to become prophets. We find increasing tension between the prophet and the religious establishment.
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Zechariah means: "YHWH remembers."
"Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return." 10:9
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Zechariah almost closes the O.T. it is next to the final book. And then there is 400 silent years. Then a priest, Zechariah, enters the temple. His name also means: YHWH remembers. An angel appears to him.
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The Lord mentioned someone named Zechariah being murdered.
"And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar." Matt. 23:35
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"Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah , who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all." Luke 11:50-51
–Problems: No record of his death in the O.T. Seemed to be a Prophet of Encouragement.
–Strengths: Same father. Killed at the temple. From a line of priests.
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He was contemporary of Haggai. Haggai was a down to earth: GET WITH IT, type guy.
Zechariah had his head in the clouds. He had eight visions in one night.
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Zechariah is of the best apcolyptic literature in the Bible written outside Israel:
Daniel, Ezekiel, John. Only Zechariah was in the land!
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Zechariah is a young man: "Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it." Zech. 2:3-4 (John knew his Bible like an old man. Zechariah would ask: What’s that?!) His prophecy is extremely similar to John’s: Encouragement in dark. Day of the Lord is near.
His prophecy was written in 520 B.C.
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What did Zechariah do?
1. He got the people to begin rebuilding the temple.
2. Drew them back to theocratic government.
3. Rekindled the nations faith and hope.
4. Recognized the true worship of God.
5. Zechariah is the first of the prophets to mention Satan by name.
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Zechariah’s pictures of Messiah: Nearly at the end of the O.T. a guy named: YHWH remembers gives us startlingly clear images of the Messiah to come.
1. A King. 9:9
2. A stone. 3:9 , 10:4
3. A slave sold for 30 pieces of silver. 11:12
4. The Shepherd. 13:7
5. The branch. 3:8 , 6:12
6. The glorious Redeemer. 14:1-4 , 16-17

What Is Jesus Doing Right Now

2009-07-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

1. He is ruling at God’s right hand.
2. He is praying (interceding) for us.
"Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." rom. 8:34
3. He is holding the universe together.
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Col. 1:18
4. He is anxiously waiting for us to be with him.
5. He is creating new life.
6. He is leading his church. (Head of the church)

What was Jesus doing before he was born?

2009-07-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

Jesus always existed -- He is eternal. "before Abraham was born, I am!"John 8:58 What are some things he did before he became "flesh"? Eternity stretches back as far as it will stretch forward!

1. He created the universe. "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." Col. 1:16
2. He ministered to people. He is the angel of the Lord. So the appearances of the angel of the LORD can be seen as appearances of Jesus. Though, since God is triune, we should be careful lmiting the Angel of YHWH to Yeshua alone.
3. Fellowshipping with the Father. Jesus said father loved him before creation of world. Jn. 17:2
4. Part of the work of inspiration. (He is "one" with the Holy Spirit. So the work of inspiration was his also)
5. Israel’s advocate. (Zechariah’s vision)
6. Planning the work of redemption.
7. Chose the saved. "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." eph. 1:4

Names Of Jesus

2009-07-27T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here are a few names of Jesus:

Alpha.

Amen.

Ancient of Days.

Anointed.
Apostle:

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess." Heb. 3:1
Branch.

Christ.

David’s Son.

Cornerstone.
I AM:

"I am from above." "The beginning and the end."
Bread of life. Door. Good Shepherd. Light of the World. The Way, truth, life. Vine. Resurrection.
Judge.

King.

Lamb.

Light.

Lion.

Lord.

Son of Man (Messianic title from Daniel)
Mediator.

Messiah.

Offspring, root of David.

Prince of Peace.

Great Physician.
Priest.

Prophet.

Propitiation.

Prince.

Ransom.

Redeemer.

Rock.

Servant.
Sign:

"This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against , so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." Luke 2:34-35
Son of God.

Stone.

Teacher.

Rabbi.

Vine.

Living Water.
Stumbling stone.

"he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." Isa. 8:14

Billy Sunday said: "There are 256 names given in the Bible for the Lrod Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because he was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express."

Christology Terms

2009-07-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

Doctrine of Jesus is called: Christology.
"Hypostatic Union" refers to the doctrine that Jesus is both God and man.
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Doctrine of Kenosis: "to empty."
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing (One greek word: Keno), taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." Phil. 2:5-7

What did Jesus "empty" himself of?

All knowledge. Power. Throne. Immoratality (he could die). Omnipresnece, he could only be one place at a time.

Evidenced in "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52 In heaven Jesus did not need to "grow" in wisdom. In the flesh he "grew" in wisdom.

Why The Staff?

2009-07-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

"The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." Exodus 17:8

Why did Moses use a staff? What’s up with the staff? The staff is important. First, he strikes the rock with his staff. Then he holds it up in prayer. So long as the staff was lifted before God, they were given victory.

Why a staff? It is a Shepherds staff. Moses is calling on God to care for his people as a Shepherd would care for his sheep. Moses is calling on the Great Shepherd. God loves you, will care for you like a Shepherd for sheep.

God Uses Suffering

2009-07-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

God used the suffering of the Hebrews to do some impressive things. The Bible says, "the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites" Exodus 1:12

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How does God use our suffering?

1. God uses suffering to protect us. By keeping the Hebrews enslaved, the new Pharaoh actually hleped preserve their identity. Spurgeon said that if left to themselves, they would have been melted and absorbed into Egyptian race. The Hebrews would have lost their identity as God’s people, adopted Egyptian supersition, idolatry, sins.

2. God uses suffering to show me who he is. Why God let them go Egypt, knew they’d become slaves. They needed the Exodus! They needed to see God save them. It would develop in them a conviction that God is who he says he is! There is only one God. Life is precious. The law should be upheld justly, they had felt the weight of injustice. They needed to develop a conviction about how an alien and stranger should be treated kindly.
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3. God uses suffering to show us something is wrong. If they hadn't suffered, they would have stayed in Egypt and missed the promised land. So God allowed pain! Pain causes us to realize: Something is wrong! (Dangerous if you can’t feel pain) Sometimes God uses pain to wake us up spiritually.
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4. God uses suffering to test (solidify) our convictions. Hard times show what we really believe. We can say we believe in tithing -- but do we tithe when times are tough? We can say we believe marriage is a life long commitment, but what about when it gets tough? It's pain that shows us what we really believe.

The Hebrew Midwives

2009-07-19T22:43:00.001-07:00

The midwives in Exodus had a great perspective on life: Life isn’t about me, the king – it’s about God. "The midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do" Ex. 1:17 God wants to be first in everything: Job, Relationships, Finances, Thoughts, Actions, Words.

Brit Hume quit Fox News, saying he wanted to focus on the 3G’s: Golf, Grandchildren, God.
"I certainly want to pursue my faith more ardently than I have done. I’m not claiming it’s impossible to do when you work in this business. I was kind of a nominal Christian for the longest time. When my son died, I came to Christ in a way that was very meaningful to me. If a person is a Christian and tries to face up to the implications of what you say you believe, it’s a pretty big thing. If you do it part time, you’re not really living it."

God rewards those who put him first. Fear him more than they fear men.

1. He gave the midwives families of their own. Eoxodus 1:21

2. Names of the midwives: "Shiphrah/Puah." That's itneresting, because the mighty Pharaoh is not named! Theologians argue over who the Pharaoh was! As if God is saying: In my book, these women rate mention, but not the wicked king. The highest official in the land, a man who built pyramids is forgotten by Scripture! As if God says: That life that rebelled, hard, bad clay: It’s gone.

"The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, But the name of the wicked will rot" Pr. 10:7
Know what I want to be remembered for? I loved the Lord.

Moses Ark

2009-07-19T22:38:00.000-07:00

Exodus tells us that a Levite woman was pregnant and gave birth to a very fine child. Of course, no mother has ever seen anything but a fine child! She hides him while she can, but knows that sooner or later he will be found out.

What she does is quite innovative. Pharoah said to throw the boys in the river -- so that's exactly what she did! She got a basket, coated it with tar and pitch and placed the child in it among the reeds. Pharoah said boys must go in the river, in the river he went!

Reminds me of Noah's ark. She placed him in an "ark" made of pitch and put him to sea. God will guide it. God guided Noah to Ararat. God guided Moses to Pharaoh’s daugther.

She goes down to take a bath, finds the ark. "She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. Ex. 2:6 Mirium comes out: Do you want me to find someone to nurse your baby? Get Moses’ Mother. Pharoah’s daughter PAYS her to raise her own son!

She names him: "Moses." Means: "To Draw out." Drew him out of the sea.

Miracle of Multiplication

2009-07-19T22:28:00.000-07:00

In the 400 years since the Hebrews first came to Egypt, the 70 who first arrived with Jacob have become a nation. Can 70 people become a nation?

"Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them." exodus 1:7

This verse uses what theologians call "creation language." Notice, in the people are fruitful, multiplied, became exceedingly numerous, filled the land. In the creation story, Genesis 1:28 "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it." Gen. 1:28

It is interesting that in Exodus, the God who created man now has created a nation!
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God intensifies the miracle as Pharaoh intensifies their hardship. "the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites" 1:12 Pharaoh doesn’t like these people, scare him, so God surrounds him with them!

Is All Sin The Same?

2009-07-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

I hear this all the time. In fact, it's the churches favorite mantra next to "Judge not lest ye be judged." Both have dangerous implications if not understood correctly.
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Here's the line I hear: "Well, you know, all sin is the same to God." Oh really? Where is that in the Bible? I can come up with some suggestions, but never quite as stated. But people say it like they are quoting the Bible! Or, it is said: "No sin is worse than other sins." Or, "All sin is the same in God's eyes."
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Perhaps they mean: "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matt. 5:27-28
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But Jesus didn't say all sin is the same. He does not say committing adultery in the "heart" is the SAME as committing adultery literally.
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Perhaps they mean: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23
Now all sin DOES separate us from God. All sin does merit eternal punishment. In that way, all sin is the same. All sin is sin! All sinners need Jesus, no matter what they did. So a theif, child molester, speeder, angery person all need saving from their sins.
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So all sin has a similiar consequence: It denies us access to God's presence. All sin deserves judgment. All sin ultimately convicts us to hell.
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But that's not quite what people mean when they say, "All sin is the same." They mean: Don't deal with one sin more seriously than you would another. Don't disicipline the person who commits adultry more than you would the person who speeds.
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Three things:
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1. I believe all sin separates us from God.
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2. I believe Hell is a place of both eternal punishment and specific punishment.
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3. I believe some sins are worse than others. (gasp)
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Does all sin get the same punishment?
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Well, all sin sends you to the same place: Hell. But hell is a place of specific punishment. Theologically speaking, when we reject Jesus as Savior we choose to pay for our sins. The thing is, we have all committed different sins! Your sins aren't the same as mine. If those sins were not forgiven at the cross, then they are ours to bear and pay for in eternity. Yikes!
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Remember the order Jesus gave the judgment day? FIRST the angels separate the saved from the lost. So judgment is not just about getting into heaven or not. That's already determined when someone stands before the judgment seat. (The angels have ALREADY separated saved from unsaved) So what is being judged? Specific punishment. Sins are revealed that were kept secret and punishment is laid out. This, beloved is why it's so very good to have a SAVIOR who saves you from that coming day of "wrath."
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Theologically we believe hell is a part of God's JUSTICE. A just God must hold man accountable for his iniquity. This answers a massive question: Does God just let the rapist get away with it? Does the murder go free? Does God really care about a child molester? You better believe he does! The Bible clearly teaches that justice delayed is not the result of God's ignoring us. He is patient because he wants us to turn to him for salvation before he judges these sins. But the child molester must choose: Will he turn to God for salvation, or will he stand before God and answer for how he treated God's children.
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Jesus indicated that some sins would be dealt with more harshly than others.
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"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." Matt. 18:5-6
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In other words, Jesus warns: Don't mess with children, or you will have me to deal with! (My paraphrase).
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Are some sins worse than others?
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Jesus seemed to think so in Matthew 18:5-6. And Paul directly addressed this! He said that sexual sins are worse than other sins because they affect our bodies, which are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
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"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Cor. 6:18-20
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Those of you holding to "all sin is the same" -- let me press you on this: Do you really believe my daughter failing to clean her room is the SAME as a child molster? Of course not! Both are sinners, but does God deal with both the same? Not according to 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. Remember, the purpose of judgment is to deal specifically with sins committed.
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Is the sin of a Hitler the same as the sin of a Grandmother who never accepted Christ? Both are "lost" but they committed different sins. Ultimately the sin that condmens us is the sin of rejecting Christ as Savior. The person who rejects Christ is saying: "I'm good enough to deal with my own sin." So God says: Fine. We'll put it all on the scales, and I'll judge your sins.
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Crime can send you to prison. No where in the prison is fun. All crime is not the same. A judge may decide that a certain crime is bad enough to merit even worse conditions (Solitary confinement, hard labor, etc)
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The law: The law of Moses did not view all sin the same. Again, all sin required sacrifice. All sin separated from God. But some sins required harsher punishment than others!
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Jesus said that some sins are punished differently based on the knowledge of the person committing them!
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"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows . But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:47-48)
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So to know something is wrong, and still do it brings greater punishment. This is why God was so hard on ancient Israel, who had the law, while he let the pagans live on without immediate judgment. Also it is why the Scirpture says judgment should begin in the "house of God." I think it also hints at the answer to a oft asked question: "What about those who never hear the Good News. What about their sins?" See the scripture above. Still punishment for sin, but it is not as severe as it is for those who knew the truth and rejected.
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Some quick notes on this:
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1. All sin is separates.
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2. All sin is judges specifically.
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3. Jesus said those who knowingly sin will be punished harsher than those who don't know.
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4. Jesus said he espically would punish those who harm children.
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5. Those who commit the sin of unforgiveness cannot come to God and ask for forgiveness.
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6. A person who "blasphemes" the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven. (I think this means they reject the Holy Spirit's prompting to be saved and actually call God's work Satan).
It is dangerous to get too specific "labeling" sins. It could lead to pride, or a since of permission to commit what we could consider "lesser" sins. But I fear in so doing, we have created an atmostphere where people commit serious sins without a deep sense of guilt or conviction.
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If we turn to God in repentance, he will forgive us of any sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
One more thing on the theology front: The Bible says there are some things God "hates." This also seems to classify some sins as of greater weight than others.
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Does this matter today?
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It does matter today. It has direct implications to todays youth. Here's what I hear, "Pastor, it doesn't matter if I'm sexually immoral, because I know that to God all sin is the same."
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Or, a man will say to me, "Pastor, I lusted in my heart, so the way God sees it, I might as well go ahead and do it."
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We are taking bad theology, splitting a hair and using it to justify gross immorality!
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Jude calls this doctirne the work of "godless men." Look at what the brother of our Lord said, "For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." (Jude 44) Notice the two things these godless men do? They are doing it today! First they change God's grace (that he forgives our sins and saves us based on his mercy) into an excuse to go ahead and sin. After all, if I sin, God will forgive it -- so the logic goes. And, these men deny Jesus as the ONLY means of salvation. Jesus is a "good way" but not the "only way."
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It is true that we are to guard against all sin. But we should not let failure in the area of our thoughtlife become an excuse to act upon that sin. If you are thinking about killing me... I prefer you keep that thought in the relam of thoughts alone!

Who Wrote Exodus

2009-07-03T10:17:00.000-07:00

This week we started the book of Exodus in our morning sermons. I am really excited about Exodus. I love preaching through a book of the Bible. I also love buying lots and lots and lots of books (commentaries) to help me study.
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As I began to dig into the readings on Exodus, an old irritation popped up. When I was in college the prevailing view among our professors was that the first five books of the Bible were not pinned by Moses. They referred often to a "Documentary Hypothesis" or "JEPD." While in college I found this lline of thinking unusually offensive, and since entering the pastorate I have seen first hand the destructive power of denying God's Word. My recent study first dug up that old irritation, then lead me to a deeper study into the soundness of Mosaic authorship.
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What Is The Documentary Hypothesis?
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In brief, it is the idea that Moses did not write the first five books. Instead, several lines of oral tradition were kept by the Hebrews; each line of tradition with its own agenda. Only after several centuries were the seperate sources and documents weaved together into what we now know of as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Some scholars even include Joshua in this grouping.
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In the 19th century Julius Wellhausen offered the idea that the first five books represent a combination of documetns from originally independnat sources. The "J" source was the Yahwest source. That line of tradition preferred the Hebrew name for God of YHWH. E was Elohist, P was priestly and D was deuterist.
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Results of This Teaching:
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The result was theological liberalism. We saw this really spawn in the 20th century. As seminaries began to teach pastors that they could not trust the Word of God, the result was a slow turning of the evangelical church away from expository preaching and Biblical authority.
Have you ever known someone who was living immorally, but they go to church. When you asked them, "What does your pastor think of that?" The person responds by saying, "My pastor says that the Bible just tells us to love one another. We are not expected to obey the outdated moral laws of the Bible. In fact, we were told that the Bible isn't even a reliable source when dealing with the Old Testament."
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As that kind of thinking invaded churches, sound teaching seeped out. Instead we were left with churches not preaching the Bible, but using the art of media to draw people in. It was no longer a mark of pride for churches to say "we believe the entire Bible." Instead the focus became, "We don't judge anyone." By not "judging" they mean that they avoid uncomfortable passages.
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Be careful:
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I should mention that claiming Mosaic authorship does not mean that community at large had no hand in the composition of the books. Obviously Moses did not write his own death!
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Does Documentary Hypothesis hold any weight?
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As I studied to begin Exodus I felt the need to examine the evidence for and against JEPD. Let me give a quick list of why I think the documentary hypothesis is a terrible theory.
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1. The Documentary Hypothesis is an external idea; it does not come from the Scripture itself. Only people reading back into Scripture come up with this idea, it is not the claim the Bible makes about itself.
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2. Exodus claims Moses wrote Exodus! (Exodus 24:4)
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3. Where are the indipendant documents? Weaving different sources together would require the editor to have acess to four completely independant sources hundreds of years after their composition. But we have no fragments of these sources anywhere! There should be hundreds of "J" documents, and "E" documents that predate the editors work. Not a one exists. Every copy we have of the first five books exists in the state you see them in in your Bible.
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4. Joshua was commanded to keep the law "The Lord gave Moses." (Joshua 1:7-8) Now how oculd Joshua keep the Law the Lord gave Moses if it had not yet been written down? Had he memorized the entire Pentateuch?
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5. Paul, who was inspired by the Holy Spirit (the Holy Spirit also inspired the writer of the first five books) said that Moses wrote the Pentateuch. (Romans 10:5 , 1 Cor. 9:9 , 2 OCr. 3:15)
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6. It doesn't pass the logic test. The Documentary Hypothesis splits over 92 verses between different authores. That means that in a single verse, over 92 times, they claim that different authors wrote indipendant parts of that verse. (Smile, educated people believe this stuff!)
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7. Jesus said Moses wrote the Torah. This one locks it up for me. We can line all the PHD's up and let them give their opinions, but ultimately I'm going with Son of God on this one! Come on, Jesus is God, he knows if he spoke to Moses and gave him the Law or if it was someone else. (Mark 7:10 , Mark 10:3-5 , Mark 12:26 , Luke 2:22 , Luke 5:14 , Luke 16:29-31, Luke 20:28, Luke 24:27 , 44)
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8. The Apostles believed Moses wrote the Law. "Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." John 1:44-45
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9. If this is a valid opinion, why did it take scholars 1,800 years to think of it? You mean that for 1,800+ years, scholars studied and prayed over the Bible, but they missed this one? Not like new evidence was found that lead scholars to a new opinion, they were looking at the SAME evidence men have looked at for THOUSANDS of years. That is, modern scholars of, for the most part, the access to the same matereal the Apostles did. Why does it take thousands of years for someone to go, "Oh, wait a minute..."

The Angry Jesus

2009-07-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

In his book, "Misquoting Jesus," Bart Erman discusses textual criticism, the study and analysis of Biblical manuscripts. His book has recieved a full treatment my many others, but he brings up an interesting textual variant. In Mark 1:40-41 it says "And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." (ESV) Erman proposes two things: "moved with pity" (σπλαγχνισθεὶς splanchnistheis) replaced the authentic reading of "filled with anger" (ὀργισθείς orgistheis), and that this significantly changes the meaning of the pericope, and all of Mark.

I personally agree with Erman that orgistheis was the original reading of the passage, I strongly disagree with him in his process and conclusion. There is significant doubt among scholars that orgistheis is original. Among those who believe splanchnistheis to be orginal is Erman's mentor, Bruce Metzger. In his A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, Second Edition, he defends the committies "B" rating of the variant saying "It is difficult to come to a firm decision concerning the original text." It is normal then for most translations to follow the primary reading of the text.

Second, this variant, though it would have some impact on the meaning of this incident, has little impact on the remainder of the Gospel of Mark. Metzger in the same place notes "At least two other passages in Mark... represent Jesus as angry." Therefore, Erman's arguement falls under the weight of the evidence.

All that said, this is a strange passage. What is the significance of this passage, and what is the significance of the variant to the passage?

12 Mysteries Of The Bible

2009-07-03T03:17:00.000-07:00

H.L. Willmington, professor at Liberty University points out 12 mysteries in the Bible. A mystery appears to be something that appears in the New Testament but was not fully revealed in the Old Testament.
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1. Mystery of the kingdom of heaven. (Mark 4:11) The Kingdom of God has drawn near in Jesus. .
2. Mystery of the rapture. (1 Cor. 15:51) One day many will get to heaven without dieing. Enoch, Elijah. We will be translated without death. Bodies will be made new on the spot!
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3. Mystery of the church as Christ body. (Eph. 1:10)
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4. Mystery of the church as Christ Bride. (Eph. 3:3, 4, 6, 9. Eph. 5:32)
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5. Mystery of the indwelling of Christ. (Col. 1:26, 27.) * Christ in us, hope of glory.
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6. Mystery of incarnate Christ. (Col. 2:2, 1 Cor. 2:7) * God became flesh. Has a body.
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7. Mystery of Godliness. (1 Tim. 3:16) How can Jesus be both God and man all the time?
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8. Mystery of Iniquity. (2 thess. 2:7) Satan is restrained by the Holy Spirit.
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9. Mystery of Israels present blindness. (Rom 11:25) How can they not get it?!
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10. Mystery of the 7 stars. (Rev. 1:20) 7 messengers of the church.
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11. Mystery of Babylon the Harlot. (Rev. 17:5)
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12. The mystery of God. (Rev. 10:7) Why has God allowed evil to enter into this world. Someday a trumpet will sound, and that mystery will be declared.

Perseverance Of The Saints 1

2009-07-03T03:10:00.001-07:00

"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace." Heb. 6:4-6

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Can a believer in Jesus lose their salvation? Look carefully at the verse! "it is impossible. . . if they fall away . . . to be brought back to repentance. . ." If you could lose your salvation, you couldn’t get it back. If you use up Christ sacrifice the first time, what is going to save you again? Nothing!

If you don’t believe once saved, always saved: Then you must believe: Once you become lost again, then you are always lost. It is interesting that this is sometimes cited as a verse for being able to lose salvation. It seems that the author is setting up an argument that says: If you could lose your salvation, then they cannot get it back. Note the "if." This passage is one of the strongest indicating that the death of Jesus forgave sins past, present and future.

The First Gospel -- Proto-evangelium

2009-07-03T02:45:00.001-07:00

When Adam and Eve sinned, God cursed the ground, made work painful as well as child bearing. As part of the curse, God said to Satan: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring (seed) and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15
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Sin passed down by father. Adam had a son in his likeness. It is his SEED. Children are always the "seed of man." Only one man was not the seed of man, seed of woman. How can a child be the seed of woman? Only if God puts the child there. . . otherwise you need the seed of man. Even modern technology can't escape the necessity of "seed."
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Does the virgin birth matter?
1. So the bloodline would not be Adams blood line. He is the seed of woman.
"You will strike his heel": Jesus nailed to the cross, Satan was striking his heel.
"He will crush your head": Jesus cries out: It is finished. Rises from death. Ascends.
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2. To show he was God. Only God can be born of a virgin.
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3. So the blood would be God’s blood. In the womb mother and child do not share blood. When Jesus died, he did not bleed Mary's blood -- he bled the blood of God.

Seth's Line

2009-07-03T02:19:00.000-07:00

Genesis 4 and 5 give us contrasting geneologies. One set of men did not follow God and their entire line will die in a flood. However, Seth's line will follow the Lord and not only survive the flood, but from this line will come the Messiah.

Notice the meanings of the names of each person cited in Seth's line.

Seath = Appointed

Enosh = Mortal
Kenan = Sorrow
Mahalalel = Blessed of God

Jared = Came down

Enoch = Dedicated
Methuselah = His death shall bring
Lamech = Strength
Noah = Comfort, rest
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Put those together: Appointed, mortal man, sorrow. But the blessed God came down dedicated, and his death shall bring strength, comfort and rest.

The Man Child

2009-07-03T02:08:00.000-07:00

Imagine what the first birth on earth was like. The Bible tells us that Adam lay with eve adn she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Notice her words when Cain is born: "With the help of the Lord I have brought for a man." Genesis 4:1

Dr. Mac Brunson while preaching at First Baptist Church Dallas pointed out that many commentators say this should be translated: "I have begotten a son, he is YHWH." Eve thinks the child she gave birth to is the deliverer. promised to her in Genesis 3. She thinks this is it. He’s the first child on earth. He will be the one to deliver us from our sins.

Why Is There No Cross In Heaven?

2009-07-02T23:20:00.001-07:00

"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed." Rev. 6:9-11 (NIV)

I noticed an interesting thing as I studied Revelation's picture of the throne room: There is no cross there. The cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith. But in Hebrew thought Jesus did not simply die on an execution stake, he laid down his life on the altar of God.

In Revelation 6 we are not shown saints hiding under a cross -- but the death of Jesus is marked by an altar in heaven. There is no sacrifice on the altar (the lamb is already slain) but the saints hide under the altar. Under the altar is where the blood would have drained. (Lev. 4:6-7) So, theologically speaking, the saints are protected under the altar by the blood of the Lamb. They are taking refuge.

Some Altar Builders:
1. The first person who built an "altar" was Noah. After the flood.
2. The Patriarchs were "altar" builders:
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Isaac, we don’t see him build one until he’s about 40. Last time he saw an altar, he was on it!
3. God restored Altar building with Moses.
–Altar of earth. Dirt. –Altar of stone.
4. Samson’s father was an altar builder.
(judges 13:20) called on God, he came down through the fire.
4. David was an Altar builder.
5. Two Altar’s were built for the temple: (Burnt offerings ; Blood offerings.)
To be taken away from the altar was symbolic of being taken out of God’s presence. (Ex. 21:14)
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The altar teaches me:

I can’t do it on my own. When they built the altar of stone, they were not to be "dressed" stones: Not to be Cut by men. Why? It was a sign that man can’t do it. We try to "dress" our lives. Mold ourselves. You can’t! Just bring it to God!

A Christian does not need to be afraid of death. "I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain..." Rev. 6:9 Interesting, John is able to see a soul. What does a soul look like? As soon as we die, we go to heaven. They are awaiting the resurrection of the BODY. The Body is planted in the ground like a seed, waiting to raise better than ever!
God will reward the faithful. "Each of them was given a white robe..." Rev. 6:11 The Greek is passive: Implying that God himself hands them the robe. There will come a day when God, with his own hands: Wipes our tears away. With his own hands rewards us. Notice, he not only will reward the faithful; he’ll punish the wicked. The saints question: HOW LONG!

I can trust God with my hurts. Real worship is telling God exactly where you are at. And then saying: I trust you as my risen savior to help me. I worship you, praise you because I know you can do this. The saints call out to God! They are under the altar, in his blood. And they have this hurt: Why is there sin on earth? What about the people who hurt us? What about all that pain? And they LAY IT DOWN AT THE ALTAR! They give it to God.

I should be deeply thankful for what Jesus did for me. He paid a price that was real. He suffered physically -- Put his body on the altar. He suffered spiritually -- Putting his SOUL on the altar.

Why Must God Die?

2009-07-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

Christians press the diety of Jesus to an extreme. Why? Does it matter if Jesus is "God" or if he is simply a man, a prophet or an angel? It does matter!

If Jesus is not God, then God's putting on Jesus the sins of the world is almost criminal. It is not a righteous act to choose a created being and say, "I choose you to bear the sins of every other man." In fact, that's not love! Do you feel loved if I say: "I love you so much, I've chosen that man over there to pay for your sins." No! Making a created being die for sin is not loving.

What kind of a God says: I will forgive your sins, if this person, angel, son I created will pay for it? I will force this creation to pay for sin. Not at all what we say. We say: God loves you, and he himself personally paid for your sins. HE bore the weight of sin.

Aleph Tav

2009-07-02T14:03:00.001-07:00

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." 12:10

Pierced is used for a fatal wounding.
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The person pierced. Notice that it is God himself who is being pierced. The change in tenses: "look upon me" "mourn for him..."
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Between "me" and "whom" is Aleph Tav. Aleph Tav. The Aleph and Tav are known as the accusative marker. It is not translated since it's a grammatical/syntactical pointer. It is used to point to the direct object of a sentence. It is like bolding or underlining.
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In Zechariah 12:10 the Alpeh Tav is importnat becuase it appears between "me" and "whom." The verse could read: "They shall look upon Aleph Tav, whom they have pierced..."
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Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew. Tav is the last letter of the Hebrew. Translating it into English: They shall look upon A and Z. If we were putting it into Greek: They shall look upon Alpha and Omega.
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Does the Bible ever make this argument?
The Best interpretation of Scripture is Scripture. First Revelation quotes Zechariah 12:10 when it says: "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him." Rev. 1:5-7 But then JESUS says: "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Rev. 1:7-8
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In the same section of Scripture that we find an Aleph Tav that would be strongly messianic, we then have that same Scripture quoted and then Jesus calls himself Alpha and Omega -- when citing that Scripture! As if the Lord were saying: Don't miss the Aleph Tav there -- that's me!