Emerge Message Notes

Salt and Light, The Sermon on the Mount part 2

2005-05-05T14:51:00.000-05:00

Jesus and the Law (vv. 17-20)
Jesus said he did not intend to destroy the Law. But he broke what the Jews called laws. He did not observe the hand washings. He healed the sick. Here he seems to speak of the Law with veneration and reverence that no Rabbi or Pharisee could exceed.
What did the Jews believe the Law was? They elevated the traditions of the teachers and interpreters of the Law to a par with the God’s prescriptions in the Hebrew Bible. The Law says don’t work on the Sabbath. The Scribes then asked, “What constitutes work?” They would spend hours debating what constituted a burden that could not be lifted. They forgot why God told them not to work on the Sabbath…

The Essence of the Law
Jesus meant that he came to bring the real meaning of the Law. When Jesus summed up the whole Hebrew Bible (the Law and the Prophets), he said two commands were important: Love God, love your neighbor. That respect for God’s commands did not consist in obeying a multitude of petty rules and regulations. They consisted not in sacrifice, but in mercy; not in legalism but love; not in prohibitions which demanded that men should not do things, but in the instruction to mould their lives on the positive commandment to love. God gave us law because he loves us and wants the best for us.

When Jesus spoke as he did about the Law and the Gospel, he was implicitly laying down certain broad principles.
There is a definite continuation between the past and the present. There had to be the Law before the gospel came. We had to learn the difference between right and wrong. We had to learn a sense of sin and unworthiness and inadequacy. How did I know what coveting was until I was told not to covet…
Jesus definitely warns us that Christianity is not easy. This is not, “Christ is the end of the law, now I can do what I like.” Jesus warned them that the righteousness of the Christian must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. Examine your motive. The scribes and Pharisees were motivated by their desire to satisfy the demands of the Law. Christians should be motivated by love.

Salt of the Earth
5.13 – A great compliment – so and so is the salt of the earth. We wish to stress someone’s solid worth and usefulness.
In the ancient world salt was highly valued. Latin phrase: There is nothing more useful than sun and salt (sole et sale).
Salt in our society is taken for granted, but in the ancient world it was of great value. Roman soldiers would revolt if their salt rations were altered in any way. The word salary? Salt money…The expression, he is not worth his salt…
In the time of Jesus salt was connected in people’s minds with three special qualities:
Purity – The Romans said that salt was the purest of all things. Salt was indeed the most primitive of all offerings to the gods. If a Christian is to be the salt of the earth he must be an example of purity. The Christian must be the person who holds aloft the standard of absolute purity in speech, in conduct and even in thought.
Preservatives - In the ancient world salt was the commonest of all preservatives. It was used to keep things from going bad, and to hold off decay. Plutarch: meat is a dead body, but salt preserves it and keeps it fresh, and is therefore like a new soul inserted into a dead body. The Christian must be the cleansing agent in any society in which he happens to be; he/she must be the person who by his presence defeats corruption and makes it easier for others to be good. Think about our society and the corruption, depravity and sinfulness of this world around us. From this image, we see salt bringing preservation. We are to be a preserving force in our world, in a world that is decaying and dying. Salt preserves life giving material and that is what we are to be about, preserving life.
Salt lends flavor to things – some foods, without salt are completely tasteless. Christianity is to life what salt is to food. It lends flavor to life. The tragedy is so often people have connected Christianity with the exact opposite. So, how do we lend flavor to the world? Nietzsche once said that he would become a Christian when the redeemed started looking like the redeemer. Think about the kind of people who were attracted and repelled by Christ. The religious on the outside, dead on the inside people, hated Christ and wanted him out of the way. The sinners, the partiers, they are the ones attracted to Jesus. He gave them something that they needed. He offered them life, abundant life, flavorful life.

Think about this popcorn. I love popcorn, but I do not like air popped popcorn much. It is not very flavorful. What does it need? Salt…Salt adds flavor, it makes the popcorn better. What does this world need? It needs flavor, it needs salt, the salt, the salt of the earth. [Oliver Wendell Holmes: I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen did not look like or act so much like undertakers.]
You know what else I notice about salt? I can’t eat pretzels without getting thirsty. I can’t eat popcorn without a drink. Nice cold Coke…or some such. Salt causes thirst. Jesus made people thirsty for God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Do we cause a thirst for God in our lives?

How does the salt lose its saltiness? Salt supposedly does not lose it saltiness. Explanation? E. F. F. Bishop in his book Jesus of Palestine: In Palestine the ordinary oven is out of doors and is built of stone on a base of tiles. In such ovens “in order to retain the heat a thick bed of salt is laid under the tiled floor. After a certain length of time the salt perishes. The tiles are taken up, the salt removed and thrown on the road outside the door of the oven…It has lost its power to heat the tiles and it is thrown out.”
The point is: uselessness invites disaster. We are meant to be the salt of the earth, and if we do not bring to life the purity, preservation and flavor that we should, then we invite disaster.

Light of the World (v. 14-16)
Jesus commanded his followers to be the light of the world. The Jews used to speak of Jerusalem as “a light to the Gentiles,” a famous rabbi was called “a lamp of Israel.” Thy word is a “lamp unto my feet.” Where was the source of the light? It was God. We don’t produce our own light, we reflect his light. The light that shines from us comes from the presence of Christ within our heart.
What did he mean?
Light promotes life: Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin" because
the body manufactures the vitamin after being exposed to sunshine. Ten to 15
minutes of sunshine 3 times weekly is adequate to produce the body's requirement
of vitamin D.
A light is something which is meant to be seen. Note how hard it was to rekindle a lamp. When they had lit a lamp and left the residence, instead of blowing the light out they would, for safety sake, they took the lamp from its stand, and put it under a clay bushel measure, so that it might burn without risk until they came back. It should be seen, not only in the presence of other lights (Christians). It is hard to distinguish your light until you enter the darkness. We are the light of the world.
A light is a guide. We should make the way clear to others. So many people are looking for good strong moral leadership. When they see it, they will follow.
A light can be a warning light. A light is often the warning which tells us to stop when there is danger ahead.

Shining for God
People are to see our good deeds. Difference been agathos and kalos (the two Greek words for good). Agathos implies something is good in quality. Kalos implies quality and beauty and attractiveness. We must not only display a quality of life but our actions should be uplifting to the world, they must be attractive.
The good deeds should draw attention to God not ourselves.

We are the light of the world – John 9.5 – While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Now here He says: “you are the light of the world”. You are, not you should be. It is not an option. Jesus is telling us that he wants us to be like himself.
Phil. 2.14-16 – Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.
Eph. 5.1, 8, 9 – Be imitators of God…for you were once darkness, but now you are light of in the Lord. Live as children of light for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth…

Preparing for the Kingdom: The Sermon on the Mount, part 1

2005-04-25T15:05:00.000-05:00

Sermon on the Mount

The setting:
Verses 1-2 – This passage opens and it seems as if Jesus is trying to escape the demands of the crowd and teach his disciples.
He sits down and his disciples come to him (as students would come to their teacher). By Matthew saying that “he opened his mouth and taught them, saying…” shows us a construction that points to the importance of what he is about to say.

Mountains in Matthew are places where special events occur: temptation; transfiguration; resurrection appearances and great commission.
Matthew may have in mind a parallel with Moses going up to Mount Sinai to receive the law (Exodus 19-20).
Jesus went to the mountain apparently in the hope of escaping the crowds who pressed upon him to be healed (cf. 4.23-25).
He sits, that was the custom in Judaism for the rabbi to teach from a seated position.
What we see is Jesus, somewhat like a new Moses, goes up to the mount to mediate the true interpretation of the Torah.
Jesus is about to present the definitive interpretation of Torah, just as Moses, according to the Pharisees, had given the interpretation of Torah on Sinai to be handed on orally. Jesus is far more than a new Moses. But he is not giving a new law. But what we will find that His teaching alone, and not the Pharisees’ oral tradition, gives us the full meaning of God’s commandments. He is the true interpreter (because he is the true law giver).

Foundation of Righteous Living: The beatitudes (5:3-12)

The form of the beatitudes (blessed are/happy are…) is found frequently in the OT
(see Pss 1.1 - Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or
stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.; 2.12 - Kiss the Son, lest he
be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him; 105.3; 118.1; Isa 30.18). The term means: a state of utmost bliss.

Verse 3 – makarioi, the true background of this word in this usage is in the OT, found 46 times in the Hebrew Bible. It means “deeply happy, blessed”. It describes the nearly incomprehensible happiness of those who participate in the kingdom announced by Jesus. It refers to the deep inner joy of those who have long awaited the salvation promised by God and who now begin to experience its fulfillment. The makarioi are the deeply or supremely happy.
The “poor in spirit” refers first to the frame of mind characteristic of the literally poor. He is focusing on their frame of mind. The two phrases were synonymous in Judaism of Jesus day. Poverty and piety, ideally, went together. The poor had no other recourse than to have hope in God. The poor were driven to complete reliance upon God, and the righteous poor were thought especially to be the objects of God’s special concern (cf. Ps. 9.18; 33.18; 40.17 - Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay. Isa 57.15 - I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite; James 2.5). See Matt. 11.5/Isaiah 61.1. God specifically sends the Messiah to preach good news to the poor.
The kingdom is theirs – As opposed to the spiritual riches of the Pharisees…
How are some ways that we can can be tempted to be “rich” in spirit?

Verse 4 – a striking allusion to Isa. 61. The anointed one comes to “comfort all those who mourn.” Those who mourn do so because of the seeming slowness of God’s justice. But they are now to rejoice, even in their troubled circumstances, because their salvation has found its beginning. The time draws near when they shall be comforted (cf. Rev. 21.4 - He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away) but they are already to be happy in the knowledge that the kingdom has arrived.

Verse 5 – practically a quotation of the LXX of Ps 36[37]: 11 - But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. Very similar thought to the first beatitude. What Jesus has in mind here is not people who are submissive, mild and unassertive, but those who are humble in the sense of being oppressed (have been humbled) discouraged by the injustice of the ungodly. They will soon realize their reward. (See Matt. 19.28; Rom. 4.13 about a regenerated earth.)

Verse 6 – These people hunger and thirst for the justice associated with the coming of God’s ultimate rule. Basically, those who have experienced injustice are those who long for God to act. Read Psalm 107. After a reference to the hungry and thirsty (v. 5), the psalmist writes, “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (v. 6) and then a few verses later continues, “For he satisfies the thirsty and the hungry he fills with good things” (v. 9).
How do we hunger and thirst for righteousness? Where does it come from?

Verse 7 – a new emphasis. The first four find their focus primarily in a state of mind or an attitude. This beatitude refers to the happiness of those who act, that is, those who are merciful to others. Prov. 14.21b – blessed is the one who has mercy on the poor. Showing mercy to the needy was a very important aspect of the teachings of the rabbis when it came to ethical behavior. In Matthew see 9.13; 12.7; 23.23.

Verse 8 – See Ps 24.3-4. - Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. The pure in heart refers to the condition of the inner core of a person, that is, to thoughts and motivation, it anticipates the internalizing of the commandments by Jesus in the material that will follow. It takes for granted right actions but asks for integrity in performing these acts.
Do we ever fall into this trap? The reference to seeing God points to the fulfillment of the kingdom. We know that in the OT no one could see the face of God and live, these righteous will see the face of God (Rev. 22.4). This is the greatest reward. This implies that even for the downtrodden that an inner purity is required not something that is assumed due to their position.

Verse 9 – Here we find not simply the poor and oppressed who are declared to be happy, but also those who experience active persecution precisely because of their righteousness. The phrase, “on account of righteousness,” points to the character of the recipients of the kingdom as it has already been described. They show their loyalty to God and it ends up being the cause of their suffering. Here one truly identifies with Jesus. Matthew was writing to Christians who were suffering persecution from their Jewish counterparts and he wishes to tell them what Jesus had to say about being persecuted for following him.
The poor and the persecuted, the most unlikely recipients of the kingdom, are proclaimed the happy or blessed ones who receive the kingdom.

Verse 11-12 – kind of an elaboration of the preceding beatitude. Verse 12 serves as a parenthetic expansion of makarioi in v. 11. The happiness refers to a deep and exuberant joy.
We find that confidence about the future can and should produce joy in the present in full contradiction of the present, painful circumstances.
Jesus reminds them that they are not alone in suffering for God. They stand in an honored tradition. See 2 Chron. 36.16; Matt. 23.55)

The beatitudes tell us that the good news comes to the poor and oppressed the grieving and humbled, those who hunger so much for the revelation of God’s justice. The recipients receive the good news. Because they are poor and oppressed, they make no claim upon God for their achievements. They do not merit God’s kingdom, but they await his mercy.

Some of the beatitudes seem to make sense and fit into our worldview; others do not. Which make sense to you, which do not?
What is Jesus trying to say in the beatitudes?

Jesus is going to give them an ethic that will help usher in the present kingdom.

The Kingdom of God: Already/Not Yet

2005-04-18T14:52:00.000-05:00

Already/Not Yet Kingdom of God
There seems to be this tension about the Kingdom of God. Is Christ reigning now? If the Kingdom came with Christ, why are so many elements of the kingdom still missing? Elements such as: peace on earth; etc, (find some).
That is because the Kingdom of God is already in place, and yet it has not fully been inaugurated. How is that? Let me explain a few things…

The Day of the Lord
The Bible often speaks of two ages: the old age (or this present [evil] age and the new age (or the age to come).
1 Corinthians 7.31 - For this world in its present form is passing away.
Gal. 1.4 – the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age…
2 Cor. 4.4 - The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel
In the Old Testament, the new age was to be initiated by something known as “The Day of the Lord”. This day was a day when God would act to initiate this wonderful new age and all of the blessings that came with it. Let’s look at a few passages in the OT:
Zeph. 3.15-20 - The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear
any harm. 16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, ‘‘Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your
hands hang limp. 17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take
great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with
singing.” ‘‘The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a
burden and a reproach to you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will
rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and
honor in every land where they were put to shame. At that time I will gather you; at that
time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the
earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the LORD.
Zech. 14.9, 16-17, 20 - The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name… Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain.

Then Christ comes preaching that the Kingdom of God is near/at hand. We do not seem to be living in the age described in the above verses. Why hasn’t the kingdom age been fully inaugurated if Christ is the king and he has already come? This is where we get the idea that the kingdom has come but has not been fully realized. Jesus came as the agent of God, bringing in a new day of salvation, but he did not bring the old age to a close. As a result, we have two ages overlapping each other.
What we will eventually have is the old age being brought to a close when Jesus returns

Sign of the Present Kingdom
God had always been the king of Israel. He guided and protected them through prophets, priests and political leaders. God had always heard people’s prayers and accepted their sacrifices. But now, Jesus claimed, God’s rule had come near in a way that it never had before. Let’s look at an episode:
Matt. 12.22-29 –
In essence, Jesus was saying, “If it is by God’s power that I am liberating people from evil, then you should take this as proof that God is willing and able to rule people’s lives.”
What was true of Jesus’ exorcisms would also be true of his other miracles and healings – open the eyes of the blind, cleansing lepers, and raising people from the dead. These were all signs that God was in charge and interested in human affairs.
Read again Luke 17.20-21 – Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within/among you.
At another place, John the Baptist was wondering if the kingdom was beginning with Jesus and sent disciples to make sure. Jesus pointed to all that he was doing as a sign that the kingdom had begun:
Luke 7.21 – At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind….Jesus told John’s people, go and tell John what you have seen. Aren’t these the signs that the kingdom had come?
The kingdom (or the reign of God) is already here, and people who associate it only with heaven or with life after death risk missing out on what is available here and now.

But there was a future element to God’s kingdom. We haven’t forgotten about all of those other promises and images from the OT.

The Not Yet Kingdom
The Bible indicates that one of the problems with this world is that it is ruled by the devil. The Bible seems to have a two step plan for dealing with him. First the devil is to be bound – tied up or imprisoned. Then, at the end of the world (the end of the old age) he will be thrown into a lake of fire to be destroyed forever (Matt. 25.41; Rev. 2.10). According to Jesus, the first step has already been taken: the devil is now God’s captive (or the devil has been bound.
See Matt. 12.29 - But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ‘‘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.
Now he awaits punishment.
It is like he has been arrested and is on death row. He has already been tried, convicted, and sentenced (triumphed over them). Still, he is trying to run things from his prison cell and he often succeeds. He is someone to keep an eye on. He is powerful. But his power has been curtailed. Before Christ, people had no choice but to sin. We were under the power of Satan. Now, Satan’s power is limited. We have the ability to overcome his schemes and his traps. We just need to “repent and believe.”
Vanquished foe:
Matt 12.29
1 John 3.8 - He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
Col. 2.15 – And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Hebrews 2.14,15 – he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Still powerful, however
1 John 5.19 – We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under control of the evil one.
Eph. 6.12 – Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers and the authorities, against the powers of this dark world… (Does not sound like kingdom world, does it?).
1 Pet. 5.8 – Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Rev. 2.10 – The devil will put some of your in prison to test you and you will suffer persecution for ten days…
2 Cor. 4.4 – The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel.

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
Matt. 13.24-30
He explains this parable in verses 36-40
Jesus is sowing the seeds of the gospel. The gospel takes root and grows up in the field which is the world. At the same time, in the same field, an enemy, the devil, has been sowing weeds. The wheat and the weeds coexist until the end of time. The Son of Man will send the angels out like reapers to harvest everything keep the good and throw the weeds into the fire.
The kingdom has begun, but it awaits fulfillment. It will come at a later time. Jesus has bound the strongman, but he still has power in this world. Because the kingdom has begun, we can resist him.

How we are like the KofG in the present and future tense:
We have accepted Christ here and now. We belong to him. We are saved. He has given us his power. But we still live in this age. We await our ultimate salvation that will come when we die (or Christ returns).

The Kingdom of God (an introduction)

2005-04-14T09:25:00.000-05:00

How important is understanding the "Kingdom of God?" It is the thing you should seek first above all other things!
Matt 6.33 – Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. In the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6.10), we are told to pray for God’s kingdom to come.

Jesus talked about the K of G more than any other subject: statistics…14 times in Mark and 32 times in Luke
Where is this Kingdom? (Or when is this Kingdom?)

Mark 1.15 – The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!
Context – John the Baptist was one who was to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord
1.2-3 – It is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of your, who will prepare your way a voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
John went about preaching repentance for people to have their sins forgiven. Basically, he was asking people to say they were sorry at the way they wronged God and wronged each other.
People would come out to John, hearing this message and ask, “What shall we do then?” John replied,
Luke 3.11-14 – basically he was saying, “Give/share, be honest, don’t steal/lie.
Confessing their sins they were baptized. (Jesus said Repent, or perhaps Return).
Jesus said the Kingdom of God is at hand (or near). What did he mean? It was present in the person of the King.
What did it mean to 1st Century Jews? They were expecting a day like those foretold by the prophets in the Hebrew Bible: God would literally set up his throne on the earth.
The word Christ=anointed one=king. What is a king like David? Why was he longed for? David was a warrior; a military hero who defeated the enemies of Israel and gave them a place to set up worship in their holy city. At the time of John the Baptist, the people of Judea were occupied by the Romans. Their holy city had a foreign army patrolling its streets. They were looking for the man who would gather an army, kick out the oppressors and usher in the end of time, where God’s throne would be set up in Jerusalem and the wicked would be judged and the righteous would be saved. John the Baptist himself expected this. In Luke 7:18-19, John the Baptist sends disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one. Why is he asking? Because Jesus is not acting the way they expect. Jesus was the king; he is a king, but not the warrior king they were expecting.

Getting back to Mark 1.15, the first thing Jesus says is “The time has come…” Basically, Jesus is saying that the time has come for God to arrive in human history in the person of Jesus Christ. The kingdom that was foretold and even longed for is near. It is near in a time context, in that the time would soon come when God would set up his throne on earth (in the hearts of his subjects). It was also near spatially, the King was here.

Jesus tells the people to repent and believe. What does it mean to repent? To repent literally means to change your mind; to change your way of looking at things; to change your behavior. It can also mean to return; a return from waywardness; total surrender. John had already called them to ask for forgiveness of their sins, now Jesus is asking them to surrender as subjects to the king.

Jesus says believe the “good news.” What is this “good news”?
See Isaiah 52:7 – How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation.
What is this peace?
John 16.33 – Jesus predicts hard times for his followers. But he tells them he won’t leave them alone. He tells them “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have over come the world.” Our being members of God’s kingdom lets us know that we can have peace in the face of trouble. The king is ruling, and he has overcome the world.
What is this salvation that is part of the good news?
Mark 2.17 – It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners. Salvation is for those people who know they need it.
Isaiah 61.1 – The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind (heal) up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes (sign of mourning), the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (hope).
Good news to the poor – Matt. 25.37-40 – Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go visit you? The King will reply, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Healing for the brokenhearted and comfort for the mourning – In Mark 5 we find Jesus healing a dead child and giving her back to her parents. In John 11 we find Jesus raising a dead man and giving him back to his sisters. In these instances we see the beginning of Jesus’ power of death. There is no longer any need for prolonged mourning. The separation of death is temporary.
Freedom and release – In Mark 5 we also find the story of Jesus healing a man who was possessed by demons. He broke chains that were supposed to hold him. He would cry out and cut himself. Jesus drove the demons out of the man and we find him sitting next to Jesus, dressed and in his right mind. Peter gives testimony to Jesus’ power over bondage in Acts 10 talking about how Jesus went around healing all who were under the power of the devil.
These were all signs that God was truly with them. The King had come.

Let’s get back to the Kingdom being near. The word for kingdom here is Basileou – the activity of someone ruling. It is more than a region or a territory. (For some people the KOG is heaven). The word in Greek can imply activity. We could translate that phrase “the Kingdom of God is near” as “the ruling activity of God” is near.
Let’s look at something. If we seek first the kingdom of God as the ruling activity of God, we will seek to let God rule our lives.
When we look at the case of the rich young ruler of
Mark 10.25 – how hard it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God; we will see that he is talking about it being hard for God to rule the life of a rich person (because of their lack of need).
John 3.3 – No one can see the KOG unless they are born again (from above). That is, one’s life cannot be ruled by God unless one is born again (from above).

The kingdom of God exists whenever and wherever God rules the lives of God’s people. God’s kingdom comes wherever God’s will is done.
As we recite the Lord’s Prayer we ask that, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
When Jesus said in Mark 1.15, the time has come; he meant it was time for God’s will to be done. It is finally time for what God wants to happen to take place – God is ready to start ruling people’s lives! Jesus said that this was “good news”, and he hoped everyone who heard it would be inspired to “repent and believe.” God can’t rule in people’s lives unless people repent and believe.

Luke 17.20-21 – the kingdom of God is among you.
The point here seems to be, “Don’t wait for the kingdom – experience it!”

Over the next few weeks, we are going to be talking about the Kingdom of God and what it means to us. We will see that it is both future and present. We will see how the KOG means forgiveness of sins. We will discuss the secrets of the KOG. We will see how the King was/is treated; how it comes under attack and how it ultimately will be set up with every knee bowing and every tongue confessing before the King.

The Empty Tomb

2005-04-12T10:38:00.001-05:00

This was our Easter message. It is based on John chapter 20.
The Empty Tomb (1-9)
What were the reasons for Mary journeying to the tomb that morning? The Gospel of Peter says that Mary came to the tomb because she was doing what was customary for women to do for a lost loved one, that is weep and lament (52-54).
Mary is concerned for she fears that "they" have taken the Lord out of the tomb." She is probably referring either to grave robbers or the enemies of Jesus. The robbing of tombs occurred on such regularity that official action was taken against it. A decree of the emperor Claudius (A.D. 41-54), a copy of which was found at Nazareth, ordered capital punishment for those destroying tombs, or removing bodies, or displacing seals or other stones.
The description of the burial clothes have been seen from the early Church to have had an apologetic function. John Chrysostom stated, "For if some persons had changed the location of the body, they would not have stripped the body in doing this ... they would not have taken the trouble to take the handkerchief from the head and roll it up and put it in a place by itself."
In verse ten, it is shown that the two disciples return home. What is to be made of this? Beasley-Murray is convinced that the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, came to a full understanding of the evidence he has witnessed as seen in verse 8. Questions arise, however, when it is seen that this fullness of faith on the part of the Beloved Disciple does not change his behavior. He does not run right out and being proclaiming the resurrection.
The Beloved Disciple may have believed on the basis of the empty tomb that Jesus’ life was brought to an orderly conclusion and that God had probably taken Jesus up into heaven bodily, like Elijah.

Jesus Appears to Mary
John speaks of two angels in his account of the empty tomb while Mark has "a young man" (Mk. 16:5) and Luke has "two men" (24:4). According to Matthew 28:2, "an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it." The presence of the angels is a witness that the powers of heaven have been at work here.
In harmony with the other resurrection narratives, Mary does not recognize the Lord on the road to Emmaus and the disciples fishing on the lake of Tiberias do not at first recognize Jesus. Mary, by recognizing Jesus when he calls her by name, may play out a role described in John 10:3, "the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name."
"Do not hold me," translates a present imperative (a{ptomaiv) which suggests the meaning "stop holding on to me" or "stop trying to hold on to me." Bultmann sees in the Lord's command to not hold on to him an indirect way of stating that the appearances of the risen Jesus are not tangible. Was he merely saying, do not touch me at all, or stop clinging to me, I have work to do? When Mary sees Jesus, she thinks that he has return as he promised (14:18-9) and now he will stay with her and his other followers, resuming their former relationships. Mary is trying to hold on to the source of her joy, since she mistakes an appearance of the risen Jesus for his permanent presence with his disciples. By telling her not to hold on to him, Jesus indicates that his permanent presence is not by way of appearance, but by way of the gift of the Spirit that can come only after he has ascended to the Father.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples
John mentions the fact that the doors were locked where the disciples met on that Resurrection evening in order to stress that Jesus’ body was able to pass through solid matter, or perhaps to cause his body to materialize where he wills. John offers no explanation of this power, nor is it possible to give one (but it could be comparable to Paul's doctrine of the spiritual body in 1 Cor. 15.44).
The greeting of "Peace to you” would have great import to the disciples who were locked up in fear of the Jews. After their conduct on Friday the disciples may have expected rebuke or blame. It was (and still is) a common greeting of the Jews of Palestine, "Shalom to you." Jesus' "Shalom" on the evening of the Resurrection is the complement of "It is finished" on the cross, for the peace of reconciliation and life from God is now imparted."
As in Lk. 24:39, Jesus shows the disciples his wounds. In Luke, it was done to ease the fears of his disciples but in John it is not explicitly mentioned why he did this. It may have been quite unsettling for Jesus to appear in a locked room and Luke's record of the fear of the disciples is probably to be understood here in John. The promise of Jesus, made to them on the occasion of the Last Supper, that he would come to them (14:18) and turn their grief to joy (16:20-2) was now fulfilled.

Jesus Appears to Thomas
The report of the doubt of Thomas is peculiar to John. No reason is given for Thomas's absence. The verb in verse 25 is imperfect which may imply that a repeated action on the part of the disciples as Phillips translates "they kept on telling him."
Thomas is emphatic in his disbelief: "I will certainly not believe," or "I refuse to believe."
The Lord has heard the declaration of Thomas and takes up his challenge.
Is Thomas so different from the others? In Luke they dismissed the talk of the resurrection as "idle talk" (Lk. 24:11). He only asks for what they have already received.
It is Thomas, however, who makes clear that one may address Jesus in the same language in which Israel addressed Yahweh. Nobody has previously addressed Jesus in this way. Thomas came to see something of what the resurrection implied. Mere men do not rise from the dead in this fashion.
The personal pronoun in Thomas's declaration is important for he confesses that he belongs to the risen Jesus as his willing subject.

Application
One thing the contemporary reader can realize from the study of the narrative of the resurrection of Jesus is that Jesus keeps his promises. In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes several promises. He promises that he will return (14:18, 23, 28) and he stands in their midst in John 20:19, 26. Jesus promises his followers peace (14:27; 16:33) and he offers "Peace to you" (20:19, 21, 26). Jesus promised that he would see his disciples again and they would rejoice at his sight (16:22) and the disciples were filled with joy at seeing him (20:20). He promised that the Spirit/Paraclete would be sent (14:16,17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15) and he allows them to "Receive the Spirit" (20:22). Jesus keeps his promises. When he promises the readers eternal life, we may know that we may have life in his name.
The fact that Jesus rose again provides promise for those who believe for now as Jesus is shown to be the first fruits of the dead, and because he lives all who believes may now live. If Christ is not raised from the dead then those who believe in his words believe in vain and are to be pitied. His resurrection also provides clues to the resurrection of believers. Believers will also have tangible, physical bodies but will be transformed in some way.
The fact that Jesus reveals himself to a woman first of all provides a clue to expect the unexpected. Due to the status of women in that society and the invalidity of their witness, a woman would be the last logical choice for credible witness. With Jesus, we have learned to expect the unexpected. Christ came to set the captives free and give sight to the blind. Christ here could be seen as elevating the status of women. Women participated in his ministry, were present at his crucifixion, were the first to visit his tomb, and the risen Lord appeared first to a woman.
Do we become like Thomas in our apologetic pursuit for the truth and try to prove the “facts” of the Resurrection? The historicity of the Resurrection has been affirmed, but the evidence should not be relied on too heavily. When we rely on facts, we have replaced faith. It must be realized that certain aspects of the gospel message cannot be proven. This is a good thing, for it allows us to walk by faith not by sight.

2005-04-12T10:38:00.000-05:00

Prayer
(Tonights message was brought to us by our minister of ambience: George Butler).

I want you to look around the room. There are several different displays of items or images that might often come to mind when thinking of prayer.

What you feel or think about prayer may depend on how you were brought up as a child. Some people may have been introduced to the concept of prayer at a very young age, and some might not have heard of prayer until much later in life. Some others might think of prayer as just another requirement on the list of things you are supposed to do as a Christian, and some may look forward to and rely on the time that they spend in prayer. And there are some people who hear the word prayer and feel confused or turned off because they feel like prayer is difficult and private for them while others they know seem to be able to pray so openly and easily.

No matter what your past experiences have been with prayer one thing is absolutely certain: Prayer in its very essence is simply, Personal Communication with God. Now, I understand that this is a very broad definition but on some level its kind of nice that its just that simple. Prayer is personal communication with God. What we call prayer includes 1) prayers of request for ourselves and for others (sometimes called prayers of petition or intercession), 2) prayer includes confessions of sin, 3) adoration of God, 4) praises and thanksgiving of God, And also (and this is a part of prayer that most often gets left out) Prayer also includes 5) God communicating to us indications of his response to all of those things. This last one is one of the most important parts of prayer but its the part that is most often overlooked! Without us doing some listening in our prayers we are turning our personal communication with God into a one way conversation.
Why does God want us to pray anyway? Prayer wasnt created so that God could found out what I needed. In Matthew 6:8 Jesus told us Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. God wants us to pray because prayer is one way that we express our trust in Him. A healthy and growing relationship involves trusting the other individual doesnt it? In fact- we see emphasis all through the Bible about trusting God. We know that we are to pray with faith, which implies trust or dependence on God.

When we trust God and depend on Him through prayer it delights Him. He created every detail of us. He is the reason we live, breathe, and grow. Our prayers of faith are his delight.

When we depend on the Lord through prayer it also shows that we are genuinely convinced of his wisdom, genuinely convinced of his love, his goodness, and his power. When we prayer we allow our character to relate to the character of God. We are able to express all that we think or feel about God in our prayers. In Matthew 6:9 we see the beginning of the Lords Prayer Our Father who art in heaven. The very first words of that prayer express our dependence on god as a loving and wise father.

We see more emphasis to trust god as we pray when Jesus compares our act of praying to a son asking his father for a fish or an egg in Luke 11:9-12. -Read Luke 11:9-12. He finishes by saying that, If you then, who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Just as children look to their fathers to provide for them god expects us to look to Him in prayer. Jesus tells us to look to our heavenly father to provide, but reminds us to do so in faith. In 4 different places (Matt 21:22, Mark 11:24, James 1:6-8, James 5:14-15) Jesus says, Whatever you ask in prayer you will receive, if you have faith.

So God wants us to pray to express our trust and dependence on Him. But he also wants us to prayer because we love him and he wants to have fellowship with us. A healthy and growing relationship not only involves that trust and dependence between two individuals but this kind of relationship also involves love and fellowship. When we pray our prayers bring us into a deeper fellowship with god. God loves us as his creation and being in fellowship with him brings him delight. Its a delight that is similar to the delight that you would feel from spending a really fun time with your wife or husband or a best friend. God loves us and delights in fellowshipping with us through our prayers.

God wants us to pray to 1) express our trust and dependence on Him, to 2) experience Love and fellowship with him, AND 3) God wants us to pray so that as creatures we might be involved in activities that are eternally important. Is there anything greater than that?! Do you see how amazing that is? How exciting that is? When we prayer the work of the kingdom is ADVANCED. Our time spent in prayer gives us the opportunity to be involved in a significant way in the work and advancement of his kingdom. Wow.

So, prayer is personal communication with god. And God wants us to pray as 1) a way to express our trust and dependence on Him, 2) to experience love and fellowship with him, and 3) so that as his creation we might have opportunities to be involved in activities that are eternally important.
Prayer is personal communication with God. And 1) God wants us to pray as a way to express our trust and dependence on Him, 2) God wants us to pray to experience love and fellowship with him, and 3) God wants us to pray so that as his creation we might have opportunities to be involved in activities that are eternally important.

Weve talked some about why God wants us to pray. I want to also talk a little bit about how to pray effectively. In some ways I think a lot of people are afraid of prayer. Some people get intimidated, nervous, and flat out scared when they are asked to pray in front of a group or in a public setting. Billy Graham wrote:

Prayer is an embarrassment to some. To bow in a restaurant and give thanks, to kneel in a place where others might see you, are outward demonstrations of personal faith. But many people consider them public shows of excessive religiosity.. He goes on to say that Prayer is for every moment of our lives, not just for times of suffering or joy. Prayer is really a place; a place where you meet God in genuine conversation. Have you ever said, Well, all we can do now is pray? Instead of beginning with prayer, we sometimes resort to it after all other resources have been used. When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God. We dont need to be embarrassed that we are needy. God doesnt demand that we pray in King James English, or even with eloquence. Every feeble, stumbling prayer uttered by a believer is heard by God.

God didnt give us prayer for us to be embarrassed. He didnt give it to us as some kind of public test of our allegiance to him. There is power in prayer. Through prayer we have an indisputable potential to make a real and lasting difference in our own lives and the lives of others.

In doing so though we must make some important considerations in praying effective prayers: First, when we pray, we must pray according to Gods will. John tells us, This is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him (1 John 5:14-15). Jesus teaches us to pray, Your will be done (Matt. 6:10) - And he himself gives us an example, by praying in the garden of Gethsemane when he says, Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will (Matt. 26:39).
From E.M. Bounds: The Life of the church is the highest life, and its office is to pray. Its prayer life is the highest life, the most fragrant, the most conspicuous. When Gods house on earth is a house of prayer, then Gods house in heaven is busy and powerful in its plans and movements. For mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people. (Isa. 56:7), says our God. The, his earthly armies are clothed with the triumphs and spoils of victory, and His enemies are defeated on every hand.

Worship

2005-03-07T09:58:00.000-06:00

A Bible believing church celebrates and enacts the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its worship. Worship centers in Christ. The good news of redemption in Christ brings rejoicing, thanksgiving, and celebration in the “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” of worship.

Isaiah 6.1-11a: A Model for Worship
It is hard to say what worship style is the correct one. This passage from Isaiah is a good one to follow to guide you through a proper worship presentation/attitude. It is adaptable to many forms.

A Dialogue with God
The worship of God is a dialogue. This reality distinguishes biblical worship from the false worship of the world’s false religions (Psalm 115). The Isaiah 6 model provides a full and clearly expressed dialogue with God that contains the most comprehensive set of worship responses found in any single worship event recorded in Scripture.

Divine Revelation
This simply means “God’s revealing of himself to us.” This is a process – not an event. We learn that God is knowable and wants us to know him.
Revelation of God’s presence - In Isaiah 6 we observe the revelation of God’s presence. Without a word God made his presence known to Isaiah, and in that moment Isaiah saw the Lord, high and lifted up. This kind of initiative prompts all true worship. Seeing God with the eyes of faith compels us to worship him. It is his divine presence, not ours, that makes the greatest impact in worship.
Revelation of God’s person – God wants us to know him as he is, for God is only worshipped acceptably as he is. When people “see God” as he is, worship happens. Matt. 28.17 says, “When they saw him, they worshipped him.” The revelation of God’s person prompts worship.
Revelation of God’s power – To behold the great works and the mighty deeds of God moves us to respond to him in awe and wonder and in thanks and praise.
Revelation of God’s plans – The purposes of God ultimately translate into specific plans for our lives. The God we worship is committed to helping us know and live out his plans for us – “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29.11).

Our Responses to God
Isaiah 6 illustrates four fundamental responses to God’s revelation.

Adoration and Praise – The song of the seraphs found in Isaiah 6.3 and Revelation 4.8 provides an excellent model for the way God should be worshipped:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord (God) Almighty; (who was, and is, and is to come;)
The whole earth is full of his glory.
Biblical praise is rich with adoration and praise. Praise is an ongoing celebration of the God in whom we take greatest delight. To love, to adore, to enjoy, to honor, to exalt, to magnify, to glorify, and to praise the Lord is our first order of business as the worshippers of God.

Contrition and Confession – The revelation of God’s holiness to Isaiah had a profound impact on the prophet. Not only did Isaiah see the Lord on the throne – he also saw himself in a way that he had never experienced before. Isaiah is moved to confess his unholiness before a holy God. Merely seeing God as he is – absolutely holy (pure) – the prophet sees himself as he is – a sinful member of a sinful race. Isaiah does what any one of us would do upon seeing God in this way – he admits his sinfulness to God.

Submission and Dedication – this response is of glad surrender to God. “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6.8). The act of yielding to the will and purpose of God and committing ourselves to whatever God is revealing at the time is a crucial moment in any worship encounter.
Our response in obedience is important. This is what Paul declares in Romans 12.1: “Therefore, I urge you… in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual worship.” The nature of our response to God is invested in the words ‘living sacrifices.’ This is a continual offering up of ourselves to God, not a once in a lifetime experience. Commitment is a day-by-day, hour by hour, moment by moment yielding up of our entire person to God.

Supplication and Petition – it is encouraging to know that within the framework of authentic worship there is a place where we may lay our burdens before the Lord, make specific requests of him, and intercede for others. Christians are in fact encouraged to do so.
Eph. 6.18 – pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Phil. 4.6 – Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
(See also 1 Tim. 2.1-3).

The Proper Style of Worship
We see in the Psalms both reverence:
Psalm 5.7 - But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.
We also see some celebration:
Psalm 150.3-5 - Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
(This sounds quite noisy, doesn’t it)?

There are some people who believe that true worship lies in just one of the expressions. We find the proper guideline of worship in the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1 – If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have no love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Let your style of worship be motivated by love. Judge no one according to his or her expression of praise. True worship is your obedience to the Lord and is motivated by your love for him and your love for your brothers and sister.

2005-03-01T08:44:00.000-06:00

Basics of the Christian Faith
Salvation

The Basic Elements
The gospel in a nutshell - Ephesians 2.8-10

Salvation
The meaning of salvation: The word basically means rescue or deliverance, especially from a threatening situation. The most profound meaning is deliverance from the lostness caused by sin.
First, salvation is a comprehensive word that sums up all the blessings resulting from Gods saving activity in Christ.
2 Thess. 1:8-9 - He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
Second, it involves a new dimension of life. We are saved not only from a deadly peril but also to a new way of living. Delivered from: condemnation to eternal life (John 3.16-17); from slavery to freedom (Gal. 5.1); from fear to power/victory (2 Tim 1.7); from darkness to light (1 Pet. 2.9)
The tenses of salvation: past, present and future.
1. Past - refers to a) the provision of salvation in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; and b) to the time when we, by faith, accepted salvation as our own (Titus 3.5;)
2. Present - Salvation involves a process of growth. Conversion is not the end of Gods way with us, only a beginning. See 1 Cor. 1.18; 1 Pet. 2.2)
3. Future - Salvation anticipates the consummation of Gods redeeming activity. See Rom. 13.11; Heb. 9.28. This forward look assumes salvation as a past experience and a present condition but also points forward to the time when salvation is brought to its fullness.

Grace
The meaning of grace: Grace is the free, spontaneous, and unmerited love of god for sinful people. See Rom. 3.23-24; 5.15;
Grace is personal: The grace of God is nothing less than God Himself in His graciousness toward us. One man wrote, Grace is not something God himself gives us, it is the way he gives us himself. The gift and the giver are one. When we experience grace, we experience god as a gracious personal presence working in our lives.
Grace is free: First it is unmerited (not earned or deserved). It is always a gift and can only be accepted. See Titus 3.4-5.

Faith
Faith is the means by which we receive Gods gift of salvation. It involves an attitude of openness and receptivity to the saving presence of God in Christ. Faith is a genuine human response, but it is evoked or drawn forth by Gods gracious activity. In grace, God in Christ gives Himself to us; in faith we give ourselves to Him. This response involves both knowledge and trust. It is active belief, more than knowledge. You know this, you believe it is true, not live as if

Works
The purpose of salvation: The purpose of salvation is a live of devoted service. Look back to Eph. 2.10. The purpose of Gods saving work is expressed in the phrase for good works. God does not intend for us to bask in inward experiences, but to live lives that reflect our relationship with him. God works are not incidental to salvation. They are part of Gods eternal purpose for us. We were created for this.
The evidence of faith: James 2.14-26. Two related questions - What good is it if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Two related questions provide an answer: faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead (v. 17). A person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone (v. 24).

Pictures of Salvation
Salvation as Justification: Justification involves a change of status in our relation to God. The background of the term is legal. The scene is a law court in which the defendant stands before the judge. Guilt is obvious. The sentence is sure. Instead of the death penalty (Rom. 6.23), the verdict is acquittal. Sin is forgiven.
1 John 2.1 - The apostle John writes to a group of believers these comforting words: My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
In other translations it says, We have an Advocate. (Work in somewhere the idea of him giving you words to speak on your behalf. The advocate continues to work for you under a retainer)
The trial - during the trial, the prosecutor, the accuser will try the case and present all of the evidence of your law breaking. In my case, I do not want to be present during that part of the trial. Exhibit A, Exhibit B and so on. Your defense attorney raises no objections, calls no witnesses and even waives his closing argument. He prefers to go directly to the verdict. There is a mountain of evidence against you. An obvious verdict of guilty is forth coming. The judge begins to read the verdict and saysThe defendant if found guilty of breaking the law. Then there is a twist. The judge finds a legal loophole and quotes a legal precedent.
He reads Romans 3.23-24 - and says although all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, this defendant is justified freely by my grace that came through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus the defending counsel. I am not simply declaring this guilty man innocent. Instead I have created in him my righteousness. I am acquitting him on the basis of who his advocate. Jesus Christ, the attorney for the defense has constantly been interceding for him. Mr. Victor, you are free to go and sin no more.

Salvation as Sanctification - this involves being set apart to God and gradually transformed into His likeness. It describes the beginning of the Christian life (set apart) and the development of that life (gradually transformed). It is both an act and a process. It is Gods work: 1 Thes. 5.23. It is completed: 1 Cor. 6.11. It is a continuing work: 2 Peter 3.18. Though it is Gods work, it is also our responsibility. Discipline and effort is required (see Phil. 2.12-13).

Salvation as Adoption - It is the act by which a child not born into a family becomes a member of the family and an heir. See Rom. 8.23; Eph. 1.5.

We have set the foundation for this message. We have talked about God, Jesus, Spirit, humanity and sin. All of those are pointing to this message. All of those entities are leading you up to a decision, do I know this God as we have talked about him? Do I feel guilty for what I have done to him/not done for him? Do I believe in this Jesus? Am I a sinner? How do I deal with all of this?
Recap Eph. 2.8. For many of us, the greatest benefit of salvation is eternal destiny settled. That is the future benefit. But there so much more to salvation. Go back to what we are saved from and to hear on earth now.

Sin

2005-02-21T13:54:00.000-06:00

Basics of the Christian Faith
Sin

Terms for Sin
There are several different words for sin in the original languages of the Bible (Hebrew and Greek). This section lists some of the nuances. The italicized phrases represent the Greek or Hebrew terms that are often translated “sin” in our English Bible. The underlined words and phrases represent the term translated into English.
*Missing the mark, deviating from the goal – (Secular/normal usage: Judges 20.16 - Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss; as in miss the target).
*Breach of Relationship; Rebellion; Revolution – (Secular usage: 1 Kings 12.19 - So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.)
*Perversion; twisting – (Secular usage: Isaiah 24.1 - Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof [KJV]). This also describes sin as a deliberate wrongdoing.
*Straying away from a correct path (Secular usage: Ezek. 34.6 - My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.) This also deals with ignorance and going astray.
*Be wicked (all of the italicized headings up to wrong doing to one’s neighbor)
Error in measurement or a blunder (misdeed or trespass)
Ungodliness/impiety
Lawlessness/contempt for the Law
Moral and Spiritual Depravity
Rom. 1.29 - They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.
Wrong doing to one’s neighbor/ “injustice”
The definition of sin is not to be derived simply from the terms used in Scripture for it. The most characteristic feature of sin is that it is directed against God.
*Ps. 51.4 - Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
Rom. 8.7 - the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
Origin
Sin was present in the universe prior to the fall of Adam and Eve. The fact that the serpent enticed them to sin implies that the serpent was sinful. This passage also confirms the presence of sin prior to Adam’s sin:
*2 Peter 2.4 - For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment.
The Bible does not deal directly with the origin of sin in the universe. It is more concerned with sin and its origin in human life.
The account is laid out in Genesis 3. The real thrust of the temptation in this account lies in its subtle suggestion of humanity’s aspiration to be equal with the creator.
Gen. 3.5 – your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God…
Restate verse 6 – she saw and agreed, maybe the serpent is right, God is hiding something from us, we can be like him…

Consequences of Sin
Man’s attitude to God – the changed attitude to God on the part of Adam indicates the revolution that took place in their hearts. They hid themselves from God’s presence. Read Gen. 3.7-8…They were made for fellowship in his presence and now they dreaded encountering him. Shame and fear were now the dominant emotions indicating the disruption that had taken place. (Genesis 2 and 3) The implication is that man and God had free communion with each other prior to this. God wanted to know why they were hiding…Where are you?
God’s attitude to man – God was not pleased by the events that had taken place in the Garden. Now his speech toward the man and woman was filled with reproof, condemnation, curse and expulsion from the Garden (Gen. 3.16-19; 23).
Consequences for the human race – As the story progresses in Genesis, we see a “catalogue of vices.” We encounter Cain’s murder of Abel (Gen. 4.8); Lamech’s (Adam’s great to the 4th degree grandson) murder of a man (4.23, 24); the wickedness of mankind (6.2, 3, 5). The wickedness of humanity becomes so great that God responds with the flood and the virtual destruction of mankind (Gen. 6.7, 13; 7:21-24).
Consequences for creation – The earth was affected by the fall and even became cursed (Gen. 3.17). The earth itself awaits redemption
*(Rom. 8.21 - The catastrophe of man’s Fall brought the catastrophe of curse upon that over which he was given dominion. Sin was an event in the realm of the human spirit, but it has its repercussions in the whole of creation.
The appearance of death – Death is the epitome of sin’s penalty. This was the warning attached to God’s command not to eat from the tree (Gen. 2.17), and it is the direct expression of God’s curse upon man the sinner (Gen. 3.19). Because of sin death contains a fear and terror for man.
What does this mean to me?
*Romans 3.23 – All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Romans 5.12, 18-19 - Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned -

Question: Am I guilty of Adam’s sin? Some would say no. They would say that our sin nature is a bias toward sin. It is certain that we will sin but not a necessity. We all remain responsible for our own sin. I am not held guilty for what Adam did.
Others believe that our sin nature is inherited from Adam; it has been sort of passed down through our DNA. Another approach is that Adam was the representative of all humanity. When he sinned, he was our representative and we are guilty due to our relationship to him. Key verse for me:
*Psalm 51.5 – Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
This is a question that Bible believing people disagree about and is not worth breaking fellowship over disagreeing about. You may want to believe that your sin nature and guilt has been passed down through your ancestor Adam. Or you may want to believe that your sin nature develops because the deck is stacked against you and your environment leads you to the inevitability of sin. It doesn’t matter, because either way you have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. You do not match up to God’s standard of perfection. You have rebelled against him and you are in need of a mediator.

Humanity - Created in the Image of God

2005-02-14T10:58:00.000-06:00

Imago Dei – This is a Latin term that means “the image of God.” We were made in the image of God. We are reflections of our creator. We were made with the unique capacity to mirror and reflect the character of God. When we read Genesis 1:1-25 we get solid ideas of God’s image. He is shown to be personal, rational, having intelligence and will, and able to form plans and execute them. The passage seems to show God as being creative, emotional, and competent to control the world He has made, and morally perfect in that all He created was good.

O.T.
Image
Gen. 1.26 - Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…”
Gen 9.6 - “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” This tells us that man has worth because he/she was created in God’s image. One doesn’t destroy humans on the basis that they are created in God’s image.
New Testament
1 Cor. 11.7 - A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God. As we think of the glory of God, this should tell us that we are the crown of creation. We are the apex. Humanity was the last to be created in Genesis chapter one. And when God looked at all he had created (especially after creating humanity, he saw that it was very good.
Implications of Being Made in God’s Image
1. Humans are religious beings
We are conscious of a higher power. Ps. 42.1 – As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. This refers to the human craving for an object of worship (no matter how base or corrupt it is). Humanity longs to worship. It indicates that humanity was made for the gospel and the gospel was made for man.
2. Humanity is Valuable to God
Matt. 6.26 - Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
3. We should pattern ourselves after Jesus, who is the complete revelation of what the image of God is.
As Christians, we need to pattern our lives after the perfect human, Jesus Christ. Rom. 8.29 – For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…;

The Unity of Humanity
If we are all valued parts of creation, why do we have different races?
The construction of the tower of Babel, humanity banded together, not for good but for selfish rebellious reasons. That is why it says in:
Gen. 11.9 - So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Alienation from each other is caused by sin, and is nothing inherent in the races.
What about men and women? Who was created in the image of God? What about Gal. 3.28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Remember Gen. 1.27 – God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Is Humanity One, Two or Three?
Trichotomy
1 Thes. 5.23 - May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Body – our natural flesh; Spirit – that which especially has come from or is like God; Soul – the animating principle of life in our human form.
Dichotomy
Gen. 2.7 - the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground (body) and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (spirit), and the man became a living being.
NT
Matt. 10.28 - Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
1 Cor. 5.5 - hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature (his flesh) may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
Rom. 8.10 - But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
Remember Paul’s words about being absent from the body and present with the Lord.
Monism
One Being
Believes that none of the elements can really be distinguished. The same human being has physical, psychical and spiritual functions that are distinguishable but cannot really be separated. There is no separation but only a person who is body-soul-spirit, who dies as a whole being and is raised as a whole being.
Rom. 12.1 - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
The act of your body is also your spiritual act of worship.
See Luke 24.40-43 – Christ had a new type of body after his resurrection, but is was a physical body nonetheless.
The verb sozein (to save) could refer to make whole as well. Jesus saved and healed spirit, body and mind. The Christian hope is not properly expressed in terms of the immortality of the soul but needs to embrace and center in the resurrection of the body, indeed the spiritual body. Christian redemption encompasses the whole person.

Which view is the right one? We do have to acknowledge that humans retain some sort of unity.
What does that mean?
Humans should be treated as a unity. Our spiritual condition cannot be dealt with independently of our physical and psychological condition.
We are complex beings. Our nature should not be reduced to a single principle.
The different aspects of our nature are all to be attended to and respected. The gospel is an appeal to our whole beings.
Theological Meaning of Human Creation
That humanity was created means that he has no independent existence. He came into being because God willed that he should exist, and acted to bring him into being. We have received our life from God and continues to experience and enjoy life because of divine provision. There is nothing necessary about the our existence.
Humanity is part of creation. We are different but we still have a relationship with the rest of creation’s beings. That means we are to be humane to the rest of creation.
Humanity does have a unique place within creation. We are placed over the rest of creation, to have dominion over it. “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground,” (Gen. 1:26 NIV).
There is a unity to humanity, a universal brother and sisterhood.
Humanity is not the highest object in the universe. Our creator has given everything we have.
We are something wonderful. Although we are creatures, we are the highest among them, the only one made in the image of God.

Discussion Quesions: When meditating on the fact that we are created in God’s image, does this change how you look at yourself, how you value yourself?
When grasping that we are made in God’s image, do we live like creatures created in God’s image? Does it make a difference in your life? Should it?
Do we take seriously our God-given role as the ultimate stewards of this earth? Or, do we abandon this aspect to what we call “tree huggers” and we refrain from ecological concerns because we disagree with the politics of those who treasure creation.

An Exhortation to Confession

2005-02-07T11:16:00.000-06:00

Tonight we celebrate communion. Our theme tonight is confession.
Jesus said, The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:29-31

An Exhortation for Confession
Beloved in the Lord: Our Savior Christ, on the night before he suffered, instituted the ritual of the Lords Supper. It is a sign and pledge of his love, for the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of his death, and for a spiritual sharing in his risen life.

Having in mind, therefore, his great love for us, and in obedience to his command, his Church renders to Almighty God our heavenly Father never ending thanks for the creation of the world, for his continual providence (explain) over us, for his love for all mankind, and for the redemption of the world by our Savior Christ, who took upon himself our flesh, and humbled himself even to death on the cross, that he might make us the children of God by the power of the Holy Spirit, and exalt us to everlasting life.

But if we are to share rightly in the celebration of those holy Mysteries, and be nourished by the spiritual food, we must remember the dignity of the evening. I call upon us to consider how Paul exhorts everybody to prepare themselves carefully before eating of that Bread and drinking of that cup. Read 1 Cor. 11.27-29.

For, just as the benefit of our communion is great, if we participate with penitent hearts and living faith, so also is the danger great, if we participate improperly. Judge yourselves, therefore, for fear that you be judged by the Lord.
Examine your lives and conduct by the rule of Gods commandments that you may perceive where (what) you have offended in what you have done or left undone, whether in thought, word, or deed. And acknowledge your sins before Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life, being ready to make restitution for all injuries and wrongs done by you to others; and also being ready to forgive those who have offended you, in order that you yourselves may be forgiven. And then, being reconciled with one another, come to the banquet of that most heavenly food.

To Christ our Lord who loves us, and washed us in his own blood, and made us a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father, to him be glory in the Church evermore. Through him let us offer continually the sacrifice of praise, which is our bounded duty and service, and, with faith in him, come boldly before the throne of grace [and humbly confess our sins to God].

Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins;
People: His mercy endures forever.

Corporate Verse - 1 John 1.8,9 - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
People: It is right to give thanks and praise

Corporate Prayer
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant us your peace.

Prayer
We do not presume to come to your Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our righteousness, but in your great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table. But you are the same Lord whose heart is always to have mercy (reword). Grant us that mercy therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the bread and drink the Cup of your dear Son Jesus Christ that we may dwell in him and he is in us forever. Amen.

The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for us, may it preserve our body and soul unto everlasting life. Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for us, and may we feed on him in our heart by faith, with thanksgiving. (Eat the bread).

The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for us, may it preserve our body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christs blood was shed for us, and be thankful. (Drink the cup).

The Peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God.

The Trinity

2005-01-31T09:51:00.000-06:00

Basics of the Christian Faith
The Trinity
The doctrine of the Trinity is crucial for Christianity. It is concerned with who God is, what he is like, how he works, and how he is to be approached. Moreover, the question of the deity of Jesus Christ, which has historically been a point of great tension, is very much wrapped up with one’s understanding of the Trinity.
The Trinity is not explicitly taught in Scripture.
What Do We Need to Know?
God is One
Ex. 20.2-3: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” How does this apply to our discussion?
The Shema – Deut. 6.4: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
The New Testament
James 2.19: You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
1 Cor. 8.4,6: So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one…yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
1 Tim. 2.5-6: For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

The Deity of Jesus
Jesus’ equality with God: Phil. 2.6 - Who, being in very nature (the very form of, morphe in Greek) God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped…
Morphe – means the set of characteristics that constitutes a thing what it is. It denotes the genuine nature of a thing; not in the sense of shape or superficial appearance (schema).
His self-consciousness – He claimed to possess what properly belongs only to God. He spoke of the angels of God (Luke 12.8-9; 15.10) as his angels (Matt. 13.41). He regarded the kingdom of God (Matt. 12.28; 19.14, 24; 21.31, 43) and the elect of God (Mark 13.20) as his own. He also claimed to forgive sins (Mark 2.8-10).

The Holy Spirit as God
Acts 5.3-4: Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Has Works of God Attributed to Him/Her: John 16.8 - When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.
1 Cor. 3.16-17: Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
This is followed in chapter 6 with the concept that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Trinitarian Formulas
Matthew 28.19 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name (singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…
2 Cor. 13.14 - May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
1 Peter 1.2 - 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…
2 Cor. 1.21-22 - Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
(Wraps up in a nutshell each person’s role).
Jude 20-21 - But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Essential Elements of a Doctrine of the Trinity
1. We begin with the unity of God. God is one, not several
2. The deity of each of the three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit must be affirmed.
3. The threeness and the oneness are not in the same respect.
4. The Trinity is eternal. There have always been three, Father, Son and Spirit..
5. The function of one member may for a time be subordinate to one or both of the other members (see Jesus being led by the Spirit in the desert), but that does not mean inferior in essence.
6. The Trinity is incomprehensible. We cannot fully understand the mystery of the Trinity.

Discussion
How would you relate the concept of the Trinity if you were dialoguing with a member of another religion that had major difficulty in accepting the Trinity (such as Jews and Muslims)?
How would you explain the concept to groups who affirm to be Christians but deny the truth of the Trinity (such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons)?Is belief in the Trinity that important or are we making too big a deal out of it?

Who Is The Holy Spirit

2005-01-24T09:38:00.000-06:00

Basics of the Christian Faith
Who is the Holy Spirit?

There are several reasons why the study of the Holy Spirit is of special significance for us. One is that the Holy Spirit is the point at which the Trinity becomes personal to the believer. The Holy Spirit is the one who is active within the lives of the believers; he lives within us. The Holy Spirit is the particular person of the Trinity through whom the entire Godhead works in us.
Another reason for the importance of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is that our current culture stresses the experiential, and it is primarily through him that we experience God. It is through the Holy Spirit’s work that we feel God’s presence within and the Christian life is given a special tangibility.

The Nature of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is divine
The problem: It is probably well said that the deity of the Father is simply assumed in Scripture. The deity of the Son is affirmed and argued. The deity of the Holy Spirit must be inferred from various indirect statements found in Scripture.
1. There are various references to the Holy Spirit that are interchangeable with God.
Acts 5:3,4 – “How is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit…You have not lied to men but to God.”
1 Cor. 3:16,17 – Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you? In anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
1 Cor. 6.19-20 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you’ve received from God…Therefore honor God with your body.
By equating the phrase “God’s temple” with the phrase “a temple of the Holy Spirit,” Paul makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is God.
2. The Holy Spirit possesses the attributes of qualities of God.
Omniscience (knows everything)
1 Cor. 2:10-11 – The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God…no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Power
Rom. 15:9 - I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me…by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. The Holy Spirit performs certain works that are commonly attributed to God.
Creation (both at creation and in continuing to be involved in creation)
Gen. 1:2 – Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Psalm 104:30 – When you send your Spirit, they are created (all the parts of creation previously mentioned) and you renew the face of the earth.

The Holy Spirit is a person
The Holy Spirit’s personality seems human
Acts 15:28 - “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.”
He can be lied to
Acts 5:3,4
He can be grieved
Eph. 4:30 – And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were seal for the day of redemption.

What does this mean about the nature of the Holy Spirit?
1) The Holy Spirit is a person, not a vague force. He is someone with whom we can have a personal relationship, someone to whom we can and should pray.
2) Since he is divine, he is to be given the same honor and respect that we give to the Father and Son.

3) It is appropriate to worship the Holy Spirit. He is not inferior, but subordinate.
4) God is not far off. In the Holy Spirit, the Triune God comes so close as to actually enter into each believer.

What Does the Holy Spirit Do?
The Beginning of the Christian Life
In Jesus’ teaching we find a strong emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit initiating people into the Christian life. Jesus taught that the Spirit’s activity is essential in both conversion (turning to God) and regeneration (being “born anew” or of “born again”).
Conversion
The Holy Spirit is the convicting agent that starts our turn toward God. This is the beginning of the Christian life from man’s perspective.
John 16:8-11 - When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
Regeneration
This is the miraculous transformation of the individual and the gift of spiritual energy.
John 3:5-6 - I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (Acts 19.6).
The flesh (or human effort) cannot bring about your transformation. Only the Spirit can produce God’s spirit in us.

The Continuation of the Christian Life
The Spirit Empowers Us
John 14:12 - 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.
How is that possible?
John 16:7 - But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
This empowerment by the Spirit caused the apostles to succeed in their task at that time, and is a resource available today to any Christian wishing to serve the Lord. Filled with the Spirit?
The Spirit Lives in the Believer
John 14:16-17 - And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor (the holy Spirit) to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth…But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
The Holy Spirit Teaches the Believer
1 John 2:27 - As for you, the anointing (the Holy Spirit) you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
The Spirit Sanctifies the Believer
Basically that means that the Holy Spirit is active in the continued transformation of the believer’s moral and spiritual character. The goal is conforming to the image of the Son.
Romans 8:8-11 - Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you…if Christ is in you…your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
The Spirit Bestows Special Gifts to Every Believer
1 Cor. 12:7 - Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
The lists of gifts are found in Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11 and Eph. 4.11.
Important observations about the gifts:
1) The gifts are bestowed on the body (the church). They are for the edification of the whole body, not merely for the enjoyment or enrichment of individual members possessing them.
2)No one person has all the gifts, nor is any one of the gifts bestowed on all persons. Consequently, the individual members of the church need each other.
3) Although not equally well known, all gifts are important.
4) The Holy Spirit apportions the various gifts to whom and as he wills.

What does the Spirit’s work mean to me?
1) The gifts we have are bestowals upon us by the Holy Spirit. They are not our own accomplishments. They are intended to be used in the fulfillment of his plan.
2) The Holy Spirit empowers believers in their Christian life and service. Personal inadequacies should not deter or discourage us.
3) The Holy Spirit dispenses gifts wisely and sovereignly. Possession or lack of a particular gift is no cause for pride or regret.
4) No gift is for everyone, and no one has every gift. The fellowship of the body is needed for full spiritual development of the individual believer.
5) We may rely upon the Holy Spirit to give us understanding of the Word of God, and to guide us into his will for us.

2005-01-19T10:28:00.000-06:00

An icon is defined as usually pictorial representation or image. It is also a sign (as a word or graphic symbol) whose form suggests its meaning. It is also a conventional religious image typically painted on a small wooden panel and used in the devotions of Eastern Christians.
For years icons were very important to believers in Christ. This was in a pre-literary culture where the use of visuals was very important. With the reformation, icons fell into disfavor with many Christians due to the abuse of religious imagery by the established church (although they are still used in Eastern Orthodox settings).
Our culture has become very image reliant. Many faces, brands and logos instantly call to our minds companies, products and endorsements. There has been a return to icons of Christ with many young people. Why not? In the Gospel of John, Jesus is called the Word which in Greek is the term logos. This is where we get the term for logo, or a symbol that represents a company or idea. Maybe we need to return to icons. We realize we arent worshiping the piece of wood but it should call us to mind the visible representation of the invisible God. The logo of God.

2005-01-18T16:03:00.000-06:00

Modern Icon

Basics of the Christian Faith: Jesus

2005-01-16T22:35:00.000-06:00

Jesus Christ

Who is Jesus? From a natural standpoint there is little question whether a man named Jesus Christ lived and died in Palestine about two thousand years ago. A roman historian named Tacitus, in writing about the atrocities Nero perpetrated on Christians, mentions the fact that Christ was put to death under the emperor Tiberius by the procurator Pontius Pilate. The most critical, nonreligious skeptic, when presented with the historical record, would probably even concede that point.

Jesus is God
There are no explicit “I am God” statements. But, there are plenty of clues to who Jesus is.
Divine Prerogatives
Forgive Sin – Mark 2.5; the reaction – verse 7.
Judge of the World – Matt. 25.31-46.
The “I AM” – Ex. 3.14-15; John 8.58
Fullness of God – Col. 1.15-20; 2.9
Kurios – Rom. 10.13 [Joel 2.31-32]; 1 Peter 3.15 [Is. 8.13];
Implications
1. We can have real knowledge of God (John 14.9).
2. Redemption is available to us – this was not a finite human who died, He, the Life, the Giver and Sustainer of life, who did not have to die, died.
4. God and Man have been reunited. God crossed the chasm created by sin.
5. Worship of Christ is appropriate.

Jesus is Man
He was born
He grew physically – Luke 2.52
He hungered – Matt. 4.2
He thirst – John 19.28
He got tired – John 4.6
He got angry – Mark 3.5
He became moved and troubled – John 11.33
He died – Mark 3.5
Implications
1. The atoning death of Jesus can truly avail for us. He was not some outsider, he was one of us. Just like the OT priest, he offered a sacrifice on behalf of his people.
2. Jesus can truly sympathize with us (Heb. 4.15).
3. Jesus manifests the true nature of humanity. Jesus not only told us what perfect humanity is, he exhibited it.
4. Jesus can be our example. The biblical standards for human behavior, which seem so hard to attain, are seen in him to be within human possibility. There must, of course, be full reliance on God. The fact that Jesus found it necessary to pray and depend upon the Father is indication that we must be similarly reliant upon him.
5. Humanity is good. Jesus was a human.
6. God is not totally transcendent. He is not so far removed from the human race.

What Did He Do?
He was our ransom – he did not specify to whom the ransom was to paid or from whose control the enslaved were to be freed, Jesus indicated that his giving of his life was to be the means by which many would be freed from bondage (Matt. 20.28; Mark 10.45). The word ransom (lutron) is used in the OT with the thought of deliverance from some sort of bondage in exchange for the payment of compensation or the offering of a substitute.
He was our substitute – John 15.13.
He was our sacrifice – John 17.19; the concept (hagiazo) is a term common in sacrificial contexts. The language is appropriate to the preparation of a priest and the preparation of a sacrifice. John 1.29 (lamb of God, which recalls Abraham’s offer of Isaac).
Jesus was our reconciler – 2 Cor. 5.19; Rom. 5.8.
He condemned sin – Rom. 8.3

What Is He Doing?
Intercession – Rom. 8.34; Heb. 7.25
The function of the high priest was to plead our cause. Christ can do this more effectively that Aaron or any of his descendants. This intercessory ministry shows his present activity for his people and is a direct continuation of his earthly ministry.
He reigns – 1 Cor. 15.25

Discussion
Do you know what it means to accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? It means that we believe that what the Bible says about him is true. We accept the fact that he died to reconcile us to God. We promise to live our lives according to the commands in the Bible. It also means that we have received the Holy Spirit, which is God’s presence in our lives. This presence enables us to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Have you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior? If you have not, what is keeping you from making this decision?

If you have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, does your lifestyle portray that decision? Is it making a difference in your life?

Has anything you’ve learned in this study helped you relate to Jesus in a different way?

Who Is God?

2005-01-10T15:08:00.000-06:00

Who is God? The overwhelming majority of people in the United States say they believe in God, but what do they mean? Fifty years ago in the US, we would have gotten a pretty uniform answer. Today we wouldn’t. Just as truth is relative in the eyes of most people, so is their concept of God. Each person feels free to decide for himself or herself who God is. Last week, we discussed the inspiration of the Scriptures and their validity in helping us make informed choices in our lives. We will assume the truth of the Scriptures and let the Bible speak to us about who God is.

God is Great – By great we mean those things that both separate God from humanity and also those things that make him unique and worthy of worship.

He is Spirit – He does not have the limitations involved with a physical body. He is not limited to a particular geographical location.
John 4.24 - God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

At the same time…He is a person (this is the opposite of the Eastern Religions, to them, God is this impersonal force.).
He has a name: Ex. 3.14
He knows and communicates with humans (Gen. 3). He is depicted as our Father (Matt. 6).

He is Life
He is alive
Jer. 10.10 - But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King.
He is also the source of life
John 5.26 - For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.
Acts 17.25 - And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
Jesus was sent by God to give us a joyful meaningful life.

He is Infinite
In terms of space and in terms of where he is. There is nowhere he is inaccessible.
Jer. 23.23,24 - Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.
He is also infinite in that he is timeless. No beginning and no end.

He is Constant – He is unchanging, reliable.
Ps. 102.26-27 - They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.
Mal. 3.6 - I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

God is Good – What I mean by that is the nature and attributes of God (all of these things I have and will discuss are good for us.

God is Holy –first…He is unique.
In terms of being unique.
Ex. 15.11 - Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
Hebrew word is qadosh – marked off, withdrawn from common ordinary use.
In terms of being Pure
Hab. 1.13 - Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.

He is Faithful
(I think this verse defines his faithfulness). Numbers 23.19 - God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

He is Love
1 John 4.8, 16 - Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love…And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
What does that mean, he is love? Here, we will discuss the…
The Dimensions of His Love
Benevolence – this will show how God is good to us.
John 3.16
Deut. 7.7-8 - The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Grace
God deals with his people not on the basis of their merit or worthiness, but according to their need and his generosity.
Eph. 2.7-9 - in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
Mercy
Ex. 3.7 - The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
Ps. 103.13 - As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

God is Immanent (He is available, he is nearby and accessible).
This describes God’s presence and activity within nature, human nature and history.
Jer. 23.24 - “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.

He is Transcendent – He is superior to creation.
Is. 55.8-9 - “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Ps. 113.5-6 - Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth.

God gives us hope in the circumstances of this world and hope for eternal life in the next. Tell the group about a personal experience of yours where you have seen one of these two aspects come to life in your own world.

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou didst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Ps. 90:2 KJV).

Holy Scripture

2005-01-10T13:38:00.000-06:00

Holy Scripture

We are going to be studying the basics of the Christian faith, or the things that every Christian needs to know in order to be a well-informed believer. I do this, not only to inform you, but I believe being well informed will hopefully lead to making correct God honoring decisions based on your information. Where should we start? What would be the ideal topic to start a discussion of the basics? To me, it is Scripture. The Bible provides us will all of the information that we need to fully know the rest of the issues, so we start with the Bible. So, our first question is…

What is the Bible? Latin biblia, from Greek, plural of biblion book, diminutive of byblos papyrus, book, from Byblos, ancient Phoenician city from which papyrus was exported
The Bible is God’s Word. It was written by men but inspired by and preserved by the Holy Spirit. Here are some verses that speak to God’s involvement in the writing of our Bible.
Hebrews 1.1: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

2 Peter 1.21: Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 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.

The above Scripture describes the OT. What about Jesus and the New Testament? The New Testament was not accepted until the 4th Century (church leaders got together and had a council and determined which books would be included). We accept the NT as inspired because:
Jesus said the Holy Spirit would bring all things to their memories: John 14.26 - But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
The evaluation of the early church
a. Leaders often appealed to the agreement of the book with what they called “the rule of faith.” This meant that the teaching of the book followed the beliefs the church regarded as acceptable and correct.
b. The book had to demonstrate apostolicity. This meant that it had to have been written by an apostle or the associate of the apostles.
c. A test of universality. This required that the book be accepted by a broad geographical segment of the church.

Inspiration
a. Breathing in, as of air into the lungs; inhaling, an inspirational influence; any stimulus to creative thought or action.
b. The work of the Holy Spirit by which, through the instrumentality of the personality and literary talents of its human authors, He constituted the words of the Bible in all of its several parts as His written word to men and therefore of divine authority and without error in the autographs.

How important is Scripture?
Matthew 4.4: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
Scripture is very important. It is God’s revelation of himself to us. It provides us with the details of how he has interacted with humanity throughout history culminating in the Gospels. The Bible provides us with guidelines to live a full life as we submit to God’s will. God’s will is revealed to us in the Bible.

What does the Bible say about itself?
2 Tim 3.16-17: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Luke 16.17: It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
It cannot easily pass away or be broken. Thus, it is durable.

How durable is the Word of God?
1 Peter 1.23: - For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Look at Jer. 36.1-4. King Jehoakim burned a scroll containing the very words of God. God responded by telling Jeremiah, “Take another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up (Jer. 36.28).

Look at one reaction to God’s word:
French philosopher Voltaire said in 1788, “One hundred years from my day there will not be a Bible in the earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity seeker.” One hundred years later a Bible society was using his home to distribute Bibles. On the day Britain paid $500,000 for the Codes Sinaticus (an ancient, important copy of the Bible), Voltaire’s first edition of his works sold for 11 cents.

The Clarity of Scripture: The Bible shows marvelous unity throughout. It was written by approximately forty writers in three languages. In includes all kinds of literary forms including history, poetry, biography, drama, exposition, letters, parables, prophecies, sermons, and stories. With all this diversity the Bible has a unique unity. Its primary theme is the redemption of man.

To what extent are you willing to commit yourself to the Bible as a trustworthy and authoritative guide for living your life?
*I will seek and follow God’s will and way for my living by studying His Word daily.
*I will seek and follow God’s will and way in major decisions of my life.
*I will follow God’s Word unless it conflicts with what I want to do.
*I will not seek the counsel of God’s Word as a guide for my living.
Spend a few minutes in prayer thanking God for His Word and all those who gave their lives to make it possible for us to have it.

Using the Bible Devotionally
Commit to reading your Bible and while doing so:
Prepare to communicate with the Master.
Listen to God speak to you as you read His Word.
Pray about what God has said to you.

Discussion Questions
Suppose a friend tells you that he or she thinks the Bible is a good book; but, because it was written by men, it has many errors in it. Write an outline or summary of how you would defend the trustworthiness of the Bible.

What is the hardest issue for you to deal with in accepting that the Bible is the Word of God?