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Dear Brothers an Sisters: The Lord is STILL in Total Control. We have: THE GREAT PHYSICIAN JESUS
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Pastor Wanda Wohlin is providing Weekly Online Sermon's
Isaiah 41:10 New King James Version (NKJV)
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
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Photo provided by: C.Jay McCann
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Photo Provided By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Sunday October 8th, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
Philip, the Dynamic
deacon
Acts 8:26-40
Giants in the sight of God are not always those we call Ministers. God is not
afraid to use the most unlikely of people to bring others to Him and reveal His
glory. For example, Dwight L Moody was an untrained shoe salesman, who became
recognized worldwide as a Biblical scholar and teacher. His work shook two
continents. Billy Sunday, a professional baseball player, turned into an
influential evangelist. And there was Philip, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. We
are introduced to him in Acts 6
when the Disciples were establishing the first Christian Church. They
knew they would need people to manage the business of the Church while they
taught about Jesus and God. In verse 5 of chapter 6 we see that the
people chose seven men to take on this job of what we call today, Deacons of the
Church. Phillip was one of the eight and he was an excellent choice. Philip was
noted for his part in organizing food distribution in the early church. Acts
chapter 8 shows us that Philip was a great soul winner at this especially
important time. Let’s take a look and see what Philip did and how it can help us
today.
We learn in verses 5 and 6 that he was s successful preacher of Jesus in
Samaria. Verse 29 shows us that Philip allowed the Holy Spirit to guide
his life and give him direction. Here we find that Philip came upon an Ethiopian
man reading about Isaiah the prophet. Taking advantage of this opportunity to
explain the Gospel, Philip asked the man if he understood what he was reading.
Philip followed the Holy Spirit’s lead and began the discussion from where the
man was studying the prophecies of Isaiah. The man then begged Philip to explain
a passage that he didn’t understand. Philip was able to explain what the
prophecy was about but also how Jesus Christ fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecies.
Some people think the Old Testament is not relevant today, but Philip let this
man to faith in Jesus Christ by using the Old Testament. Jesus is found in both
the Old and New testaments. God’s entire Word is applicable to all people in all
ages. Don’t avoid or neglect the use of the Old Testament because it too is
God’s Word. Many of the stories and prophecies point to Jesus, and every
prophecy about Jesus either was fulfilled during his life or will be fulfilled
when He returns.
We learn in verse 36 that as they traveled, they came upon some water and
the man asked to be baptized which Philip did. It was after that the Holy Spirit
suddenly took Philip away, never to be seen again by the man who went on his own
way rejoicing in his newfound knowledge of Jesus Christ and what He had done for
him. As for Philip, he appeared at a town called Azotus and traveled about,
preaching the Gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. Why was Philip
suddenly transported to a different city? This miraculous sign confirmed the
power of the Holy Spirit to the Ethiopian man and also showed the urgency of
bringing the Gentiles to belief in Jesus. Azotus is Ashdod, one of the ancient
Philistine capitals. Eventually Philip settled in Caesaria and lived there for
the next 20 years.
What Philip’s story tells us is that God is definitely interested in results.
When we are studying the Bible, we should not let our insecurity or pride get in
the way of asking others to help us. Just as the Holy Spirit helps us when we
share the Gospel, others can help us sort out the things we are having
difficulty understanding. God sends us, His servants, to prepare people to
receive Him so we must make sure that we are listening if God is sending us to
win someone. Remember that it’s easy to put up our spiritual umbrellas and miss
the opportunity to carry out God’s will. When we share the Gospel, a good place
to start is where the person’s concerns are focused. Don’t be afraid that you
may not be able to answer all their questions. The Holy Spirit will give you the
words to help them. Philip’s target is the same as ours should be: Salvation
through Jesus Christ the Son of God. Finally, listening to the Holy Spirit will
allow us to use the Word of God, focus on Jesus Christ, and witness to win souls
to Him.
Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you,
show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday October 1st, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
All You Need to Grow
1 Corinthians 3:1-10
God has always had a wonderful plan for the life of all His children. It
includes a period of birth, growth, and maturity. What is sad though, is that
more people than not will choose to ignore the plan He has so lovingly laid out
for them. And even though He loves us, He will never force anyone to take Him up
on His offer. There are many in this world who believe in a God, or a higher
power of some sort, but sadly they never seem to find a way to develop a real
relationship with that power. Too many churches today are filled with spiritual
babies who won’t make the full commitment and do the work to grow and mature in
their spiritual relationship with God. But this isn’t a new problem for the
modern world. Paul experienced it in the early days of Christianity. With so
many today lacking in important spiritual growth, I thought we should take a
look at what is needed in order to ensure growth in our relationship with our
Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
Our text this morning is from 1 Corinthians 3:1-5 where Paul writes: “(1)
And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto
carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. (2) I have fed you with milk, and
not with meat: for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are
you able. (3) For you are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you
envying, strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men? (4)
For a while one said, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos, are you not
carnal? (5) Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom
you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? (6) I have planted, but
God gave the increase. (7) So then neither is he who plants anything,
neither he who waters; but God Who gives the increase. (8) Now he who
plants, and he who waters are one; and every man shall receive his own reward
according to his own labor. (9) For we are laborers together with God:
you are God’s husbandry, you are God’s building. (10) According to the
Grace of God, which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the
foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he
builds there upon.”
First to be ‘carnal’ means to be of the ‘world and not of the spirit.’ And even
though Paul speaks of bothers and brethren, a relationship God is not limited to
men. God wants a relationship with women as much as He does with men. His plan
is for all mankind. Paul called the Corinthians infants in Christ because they
were not yet spiritually healthy and mature. Many people today are still infant
Christians. What are the indications of spiritual infancy? They can include
complaining instead of gratefulness, being argumentative instead of acting, and
following people instead of Jesus. We see in verses 1-3 of our text that
Paul is telling the people that because they were arguing like children and
allowing divisions to distract them, they were showing the immaturity of their
relationship with Jesus. Immature Christians are often still controlled by their
own desires, whereas mature believes are more in tune with God’s desires. We all
need to ask ourselves how much influence our own desires have on our spiritual
life and make sure our desires align with God’s. Being controlled by our own
desires will only stunt and hold back our ability to grow our spiritual
relationship with God.
A spiritual relationship begins with being born again for without this we will
never become mature. When we accept Jesus into our lives as our personal Savior
and believe by faith that He is the Son of God who died to take away our sins,
we have taken the first step. Too many try to imitate Christian maturity without
taking this step. Remember Nicodemus who came to visit Jesus in the dark of
night? This religious ruler of the Jews was surprised by his conversation with
Jesus in John 3:1-21; especially when Jesus told him that he may be religious,
but he is also lost. Religion doesn’t save anyone. Jesus said in John 3:16 only
being born again and having faith in Jesus Christ will assure eternal life.
Once we make this decision, it is important that we nourish our relationship
with the proper food to allow it to grow. Paul planted the seeds of the gospel
in the hearts of the people. Apollos watered the seed with his ministering to
help the believers grow stronger in their faith. Paul founded the Church in
Corinth and Apollos built on that foundation. Unfortunately, at the time of
Paul’s letter, the believers had split into factions, pledging loyalty to
different preachers and teachers. While preachers and teachers may proclaim the
gospel and faithfully share important biblical knowledge, God is the only one
who makes Christians grow. Pastors and teachers should certainly be respected,
but they should never be placed on pedestals that create buffers between the
people and God; or more importantly, look at them as substitutes for Christ.
They are not. They are sinners saved by grace just like every Christian.
There is so much around us that can interfere with our growing relationship with
our Lord. The news is filled with violence and corruption, entertainment has
questionable plots and presentations of what appears to be glamorous living and
a departure from what we know to be true, and content is often designed to make
us question God’s intentions for us. All this makes it more important that we
work hard to properly feed our spiritual life to ensure that it will grow and
prosper for God. The most important thing that allows us to grow and mature is
to study God’s Word. In 1 Peter 2:2, Peter compares God’s Word to the
milk that is required in order for newborn babies to grow strong. The Bible is
the milk that will give us all we need to develop a mature relationship with our
Lord. In addition to studying the Bible, we must develop a daily devotional
routine. When you make it a point to set aside time each day to pray and study
God’s word, you will be amazed at the difference it makes as you deal with the
tasks that you have to accomplish and, in your attitude, as you deal with people
and circumstances. We must never forget to thank God for all the blessings we
receive. when we allow devotional time to become routine in our daily life, we
will experience growth in our relationship with God.
Another vital component to becoming a mature Christian is to attend church. We
all need to be fed by the fellowship and learning that can only come from
attending Church. What we receive encourages us in the days between services.
The Church provides structure to our faith that is found in our Bible, and it
gives us opportunities to serve that will enable us to grow strong. We should
also read faith-building books, watch faith-based movies and television
programs, listen to good music, and expect the Holy Spirit to speak to us
through others. Seeing Christ in the lives of other brothers and sisters in
Christ will serve to confirm our beliefs and encourage us to keep up the fight
against the forces that are actively working to take us away from God.
All of this doesn’t happen immediately. Each and every one of us must learn to
walk in the Spirit. How do we do this? Ephesians
4:30-32 tells us that because the Holy Spirit is in us, we have a
guarantee that we belong to God. It is the Holy Spirit that allows us to let go
of bitterness, anger, and malice toward others and instead be kind,
tenderhearted, and forgiving to others. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand
the Word of God as we study the Bible. Living this way is what Paul calls
walking in the newness of Life in Romans 6:4, walking by faith in 2
Corinthians 5:7, walking worthy of the Lord in Colossians 1:10, walking
circumspectly in Ephesians 5:15 and walking as children of light in Ephesians
5:8. When we adopt this way of living then we will be able to bring others into
the family of God. We become examples of how our lives have changed as we
continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. Yes, we will make mistakes along the way. But our God is a Father who
may discipline us but never stop loving us. And we can always lean on Jesus to
be our guide and our friend as He shows us how we must live our lives to please
God.
Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you,
show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday September 17th, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
I Am the True Vine
9-17-2023
John 15:1-8
Over these last weeks with the study of the “I AM” statements our goal is learn
more of who Jesus is. Through these statements we see how He lovingly shows His
true character and purpose for coming to this world to His Disciples and to all
Christians since then who have chosen Him as their personal Savior. So far,
these statements have taught us that He is the Bread of Life and the Light of
the World. He is the Door to Heaven and the Good Shepherd. He is the
Resurrection and the Life, and the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Today, we will
learn what Jesus means when He said I AM the True Vine.
Our text is found in John 15:1-8 where Jesus said:
“(15:1) I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. (2)
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (3) You are already
clean because of the words which I have spoken to you. (4) Abide in Me,
and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (5) I am the Vine;
you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for
without Me you can do nothing. (6) If anyone does not abide in Me, he is
cast out as a branch that is withered; and they gather them and throw them into
the fire, and they are burned. (7) If you abide in Me, and My words abide
in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (8)
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so, you will be My
Disciples.”
Jesus began by calling Himself the ‘True Vine.’ The descriptive word ‘true’ has
been applied to Him other places in the Bible. In John
1:9 we see Jesus was being compared to John the Baptist, but John’s
purpose was to prepare the world for the coming of the True Light which is only
found in Jesus. In John 6:32 Jesus is compared to manna that God gave to
the Israelites in the dessert for temporary subsistence. But Jesus gives us
permanent subsistence when He gives us eternal life. The vine provides life to
the branches. In Jesus’ example He is the Vine, and we are the branches. We all
know that branches receive life from the vines, or roots of the plant. As we
learned previously in John 14:6, Jesus is our source of life. Only He can
give us abundant life as shown in John 10:10.
We also learn from this statement that Jesus is working closely with God our
Father. In verse 3 of our text Jesus calls God the Husbandman. Other
meanings for this word are vinedresser, gardener, or farmer. Farmers expect
fruit from their crops so they carefully plant and care for them to ensure that
they will be healthy and produce as much fruit as possible. Part of the farming
process is pruning plants to ensure maximum health of the plant. Jesus makes a
distinction between two types of pruning: One kind is where the farmer cuts off
unhealthy or dead branches, and in the other type of pruning, the farmer cuts
back branches. Unhealthy or dead branches provide nothing to the plant, so they
are removed. Healthy branches are cut back to promote growth. Jesus is telling
us that God must sometimes discipline His people to strengthen our character and
faith. But branches that don’t bear fruit are cut off at the trunk not only
because they are worthless, but because they can infect the rest of the plant.
People who don’t bear fruit for God or who try to block the efforts of God’s
followers will be cut off from the life-giving power of Jesus. The truth is, our
God expects fruit from His people.
Many people try to be good and honest. But Jesus says that to live a genuinely
good life we must stay close to Him like a branch that is attached to the vine.
In the same way that plants receive nutrients from their roots, faith and trust
in Jesus allows us to receive life-giving water from the Holy Spirit and food
from God’s Word. Both of which provide God’s people with spiritually regenerated
power. Jesus is telling us that we can ask Him for anything that will increase
our ability to bear fruit for God. But apart from Jesus, we lose this
connection, and our efforts are unfruitful.
Jesus speaks of abiding in Him in verse 5. He is telling us that
remaining in Him requires us to be fully connected to Him moment by moment. It
means we believe that Jesus is God’s Son. 1 John 4:15
tells us that when we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in us,
and we live in God. Abiding in Jesus means following Him as our Savior and Lord.
John 1:12 tells us that all who believe in Jesus and receive Him as their
Savior are able to become children of God. We are told in 1 John 3:24
that abiding in Jesus means we do what God wants us to do. And 1 John 2:24
that abiding in Jesus means we must believe in God’s Word. Then, when we abide
in Jesus, we are to love one another as Jesus has loved us, which we find in
John 15:12.
It is especially important that we work to win people to Jesus. But fruit isn’t
limited to that. Answered prayers, living joyfully, spreading joy, and loving
others are also considered fruit. Inwardly, this includes characteristics of
love, joy, and peace. Outwardly, the characteristics are patient endurance (or
long suffering), goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These
characteristics grow in newly transformed people and allow them to do special
things for God with their lives. Proverbs 11:30
tells us that the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and those who win
souls are wise. The example we set as Godly people will help others want to know
Jesus.
Jesus is the True Vine - or root, and we as believers in Him are the branches.
The purpose of the branches is to let the life of the vine flow to the fruit. To
be fruitful for God, we must abide in Christ. We must communicate with Him, love
Him, praise Him, and be faithful to Him. But He will not force Himself on
anyone. It only happens when an individual asks Him to come into their life to
forgive their sins and allow Him, through the Holy Spirit, to show them what
they need to know in order to live a life that is pleasing and fruitful to God
our Father and Creator.
None of this can be accomplished without Jesus Christ. He is the one who gave up
His life to pay the price for our sin that prevents us from returning to God. By
accepting Jesus into our life as our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit teaches us
the love the Father has for each one of us. That then leads us to bear fruit and
glorify God. Let Jesus be your True Vine today and always.
Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you,
show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday September 10th, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
John 14:1-6
Today we will look at the sixth I AM statement of Jesus. In John chapter 13
we can see how Jesus prepared His Disciples for His departure. It was at this
point in His ministry where the Disciples worried about the safety of Jesus and
tried to discourage Him from going to Jerusalem because of the threats from the
religious leaders. We see Him sharing the last Passover meal with them, He
showed humility when He washed their feet, He warned them that He would be
betrayed by one sitting at the table with them, and He instituted the first
communion service. Jesus also gave them encouragement about where He was going
when He said in our text from John 14:1-6: “(1) Let not your heart be
troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In My Father’s
house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you (3) and if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be
also. (4) And where I go you know, and the way you know. (5)
Thomas said unto Him, Lord we know not where You go.” Thomas’ confusion led to
the sixth I AM statement in verse 6 where: (6) Jesus said unto Him, I AM
the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.”
Thomas’ question is a good one even for people today. Do you know where Jesus is
and how He can bring you to be with Him?
His answer to Thomas and all mankind wasn’t ‘I will show you the way,’ or ‘here
is the way.’ Too many think that there are certain things that can be done to
assure their place in Heaven such as baptism, prayer, and loving people. Jesus
was baptized but the truth is, those who are baptized can still be lost. He
loves people, but those who love people can still be lost. He was a man of
prayer, but even those who pray can still be lost.
Why? Because salvation comes only through complete faith in and acceptance of
Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. He tells us in John 3:16 that whoever
believes in Him will have everlasting life. Luke tells us in
Acts 16:31 if you believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ you will be saved. The apostle Paul tells us in
Ephesians 2:8 that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus and
not because of anything we can ever do because it is the gift from God. Paul
also tells us in Romans 5:1 our faith in Jesus Christ makes us justified – or
absolved of our sin – so that we can have peace with God. This confirms that the
only way to Heaven is by having a faithful and true relationship with Jesus.
He alone is the source of all the truth about Heaven. Many have misconceptions
about Heaven. Some believe it is here on earth until it’s time to die, then
there is nothing more. Some believe only 144,000 will get to go to Heaven. Still
others believe that Heaven is nothing more than a state of mind while we live
out our lives until death. Well, the good news is that they are all wrong. Jesus
confirms in verse 2 of our text that Heaven is a real place, and there a
home is waiting for us. Verse 3 is the first reference of the Rapture
telling us that Christians will go there when they die, and that Jesus will them
who are still alive when the Tribulation begins. We can depend on this because
Jesus told us about where we we will go.
Jesus is the source of life that begins when we accept Him and continues in
Heaven. John wrote in 1:4 “In Him was life; and the life was the light of
men.” As our source of life, Jesus brings light to all who believe in Him. So,
without Him in our life, there is only darkness in the present and the future.
Jesus tells us in John 6:35 that He is the Bread of Life that sustains us until
it is time for us to leave this life for the next. He confirms this next life
when He tells us in John 11:25
that He alone is the Resurrection and the Life.
Throughout the Bible we are shown how every life is precious in the God’s eyes.
He created us but when Satan introduced sin through Adam and Eve, mankind was
separated from God. But God didn’t give up on us. Instead, He arranged for His
son to give up His life so we could return to God forever redeemed from the
stain of sin.
However, today all we need to do is look around and see how little regard there
is for the sanctity of life. This world has lost the concept of how important
life is. We have abortion on demand, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. The
violence depicted in all forms of entertainment also reflects how life is
meaningless. So many people are senselessly killed on the streets or in their
homes. There is no thought given to taking the life from people who are known or
are strangers. Our present laws remove the consequences of taking another’s
life. But in God’s eyes, every life is precious and priceless, and only Jesus
can provide us with life that will last forever.
When Jesus said, I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life, He is telling us that
knowing Him personally is the only way to Heaven. Knowing Him reveals to us the
complete and full truth about Heaven. When life here on earth is over, He will
continue that life in Heaven. This is available to all who choose to who put
their faith and trust in Jesus and allow Him to be their Lord, their Guide, and
their Savior.
Only a few verses in the Bible describe eternal life in detail. The verses of
today’s text are rich in promises of what we have to look forward to in the
future. Jesus left this world and is now preparing a place for us. But He will
come back and take us to where He is. We can look forward to eternal life
because He promised it to all who believe in Him. Even with the unknowns about
eternity, believers have no need to be afraid.
Jesus’ answer to Thomas opens the door for doubters to come to Jesus. He Himself
tells us that He is the only way to God and eternal life. Some will say this is
too narrow and restrictive but in reality, it is open to the entire world if
they accept Jesus as their personal Savior. For this we should be thanking God
for providing a sure path to get to Him.
If you haven’t yet given Him your heart, do it now so you can be assured of your
place with Him for all eternity. All that is required is to confess to God that
you are a sinner and that you believe Jesus is His son who died to redeem you of
your sins; then allow Jesus to work in your life to change you as only He can.
The only Way to the Father is through Jesus. The only Truth to all of the
promises of God is Jesus. The only way to Life is to allow Jesus to join His
divine life to yours today and for eternity.
Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you,
show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday September 3rd, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
I Am the Resurrection
and the Life
John 11:25-26
We study the I AM statements of Jesus Christ so we can learn who Jesus Christ is
by looking at His own words. So far, we have learned that He alone is the source
of our sustenance (Bread of life), our holiness (Light of the World), our path
to salvation (Door), and the protector who gave His life for us (Good Shepherd).
Today we will look at the fifth I AM statement and how it applies to our lives
today. He said in John 11:25-26: “(25)…I
am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live; (26) and whosoever lives and believes in Me shall
never die.”
Jesus is the greatest person who ever walked this earth. No one past, present,
or future can ever live up to the life He led while here. As perfect as He it
doesn’t prevent us from a relationship with Him. And, when He speaks, we should
always listen and learn because He is showing us things that we need to know to
live for Him.
Let’s take a look at what led Him to call Himself the Resurrection and the Life.
In John 10:29 He declared His deity when He said: I and my Father are
One. That statement set His enemies – the Jewish religious leaders – on their
path to kill Him. At this point, Jesus was ministering beyond Jordan, resulting
in many converts. The more who chose His message and converted, the more He
threatened the power of the religious leaders. John 11:1 tells us that Jesus
received a message informing Him that His dear friend Lazarus was extremely
sick. Instead of immediately going to his side, Jesus waited two days before
leaving for Bethany to see him. While on the way there the Disciples learned
that Lazarus had died.
When Jesus arrived, He encountered a grieving Martha, Lazarus’ sister. She was
quick to tell Him if He had been there, Lazarus would still be alive. Jesus’
response to her in John 11:13 was: Your
brother will rise again. Now, Martha was a faithful woman and knew that God’s
people would eventually be resurrected in the new Kingdom. No doubt this was
what she was thinking Jesus meant. But we know what was about to happen was
beyond her wildest imagination. Because Martha didn’t take what Jesus told her
literally, she was placing limits on Him and His powers. Today, we are guilty of
doing exactly what Martha did. When we put our trust in Jesus, miracles can and
will happen because He holds the greatest of all powers as is described in
verse 25 of our text. But instead, too often we ask for and expect things
from Him using our inferior human construct based only on where we are in the
moment, what we can or can’t do, and what we have seen others do. But Jesus has
far greater powers than any human. He will always answer our prayers, but we
must also understand that sometimes He says yes, sometimes He says no, and
sometimes He makes us wait because He knows the entire spectrum of our lives so
His answer will always be what is best for us forever and not just in the
moment. Yet even when we do put limits on Him as Martha did, He still listens to
us and will fulfill our requests in accordance with God’s will for our lives.
Yes, there will come a time when Lazarus rises in the Resurrection as we learned
in our study of Revelation; and, as we are told in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the
Church will be taken in the Rapture. But at this point in His earthly ministry,
Jesus had another message to share so He used His power to raise Lazarus from
the dead, and soon God will use His power to raise His Son Jesus to defeat death
for all mankind.
By telling us that He is the Resurrection and the Life, Jesus is promising that
through Him we can have everlasting life. The psalmist speaks of a 70-80 year
average life span. But now, Jesus is promising us longer than that even if we
surpass the average and live for 90 years or more. And what He is promising us
is so much better than the years the psalmist speaks about. Only Jesus can give
this to us, and it can only come through a deep and personal faith in Jesus
Christ. He alone made this possible because He was willing to take the pain,
suffering, and humiliation of being crucified on the Cross. When He rose, He
became the victor over death for all who do trust in Him.
Jesus has power over life and death as well as the power to forgive sins.
Because He created life, He can certainly restore it. Whoever believes in Him
has a spiritual life that death cannot conquer or diminish in any way. When we
realize the power and the wonder of His offer to us, how can we not commit our
lives to Him? To all who believe, it’s a wonderful assurance and certainty that
we have. He tells us in John 14:19: Because I live,
you also will live.
This morning, as we prepare to remember His death with the communion service,
it’s important that we all look within ourselves to determine that we personally
know the greatest Person that ever walked this earth and search our hearts to
ensure that we are sincerely trusting and resting in His great power that gives
us peace and eternal life. Are you trusting His promise and know that you will
be with Him for eternity in His new kingdom? If you have any doubts about this,
don’t wait any longer. Make the decision that you will fully and completely
trust Him. Ask Him to come into your life and change you for the better, today
and for eternity.
Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you,
show you grace and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday September 27th, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
I Am the Good
Shepherd
John 10:3-13, Ezekiel
40:11-16
In our study of the eight I AM statements of Jesus, so far, we have learned that
as the Bread of Life He satisfies our hunger. As the Light of the World, He
sanctifies – meaning makes us holy. And as the Door, He saves us. Today we are
going to learn about the most loving of all the I AM statements when He says in
John 10:11: “I am the Good Shepherd: the Good
Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” Those who were hired to tend sheep did
it for the money. In contrast, a shepherd loves his sheep and is completely
devoted to them. Jesus isn’t merely doing a job or performing a duty; He loves
us (His sheep) and has laid down His life for us. By calling Himself the Good
Shepherd, Jesus is revealing exactly who He is and why He gave up the glory of
Heaven to come into this world in human form – He came to die for us because He
loves us.
The prophets of the Old Testament knew Jesus as the Good Shepherd. David opens
the 23rd Psalm by stating: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”
He is telling us that as his shepherd -- his Lord will provide for all his
needs. Isaiah writes in chapter 40:11: “He shall
feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm and carry
them in His bosom and shall gently lead those who are with young.” As the
powerful Son of God, Jesus is careful and gentle with His flock from the
strongest to the most vulnerable among them. And
Ezekiel tells is in 34:11-16: “ (11)
…Behold I…will both search My sheep and seek them out. (12) As a shepherd
seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so
will I seek out My sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have
been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. (13) And I will bring them out
from the people and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their
own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the
inhabited places of the country. (14) I will feed them in a good pasture
and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie
in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of
Israel. (15) I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down
saith the Lord God. (16) I will seek that which was lost and bring again
that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will
strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I
will feed them with judgement.” This tells us that we can expect our Good
Shepherd Jesus to provide for us, guide us and protect us. Leaders in every
aspect of our life will fail us but Jesus will never fail us. All we need to do
is trust Him and know that He will return one day and forever care for His
people the right way. Until then we can always turn to Him for help.. Nahum
tells us in chapter 1:7 He is a strong Good Shepherd and will always be
there for us in times of trouble and believe that because He controls the
future, He can turn any tragic situation into good for us and all those bound
for His new Kingdom.
There are three New Testament titles given to Christ as Shepherd: In
John 10:11 He is the Good Shepherd because He will die for His sheep.
Hebrews 13:20 calls Him the Great Shepherd of the sheep because He has risen
from the dead. And in 1 Peter 5:4 He is
called the Chief Shepherd who will return for His sheep to give them crowns of
glory that will never fade away.
As the Good shepherd, Jesus shows us how much He cares for us.
John writes in 10:3-5 the sheep of Jesus recognize His voice that
provides warmth, comfort, encouragement, and sometimes warnings. His sheep don’t
follow strangers because they only know the voice of their Good Shepherd.
Verses 12 and 13 show us that the Good Shepherd protects His sheep and stays
with them in times of trouble. And as the Good Shepherd, Jesus gives eternal
life to all who know His name. No one can take His sheep away from Him because
they have been given to Him by God the Father as John shows us in 10:27-29.
As the Good Shepherd, Jesus reveals the cross to us. We read in
John 10:15 that He will lay down His life for His sheep by volunteering
to suffer and die on the Cross. It is through this act that His sheep will be
afforded salvation. All people need salvation and Paul tells us in
Romans10:12-13 that all people includes both Jews and Gentiles or non-Jews.
Accepting the Good Shepherd guarantees forgiveness from sin and eternal life in
His new kingdom.
We must all look within ourselves to see if we know Jesus as the Good Shepherd
of our life. If you do, then you are already receiving His love, comfort, and
guidance every day. If you don’t and are resisting Him because you think He
could never really love you, consider what He did on the Cross for you and let
go of the doubt that He could love you. Instead, come to Him in faith, put you
trust Him, and let Him change your life for the better. Living for Jesus is this
world is a lifelong struggle, but He will always be there to help you. Take Him
up on His offer and your life will be enriched in ways you never could have
imagined.
So, until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on
you, show you grace and give you peace in the days ahead.
Sunday August 20th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
I Am the Door
John 10:7-10
This morning we continue our study of the eight I AM statements made by Jesus.
It is important that we look at them because we learn how Jesus clearly explains
the deep things of God and what His plan of salvation is for all who trust,
believe, and love Him. By looking at them we see how He teaches us important
spiritual truths in a simple manner. So far, we have learned why Jesus called
Himself the Bread of Life and the Light of the World. Today we will look at what
Jesus meant when He said, “I AM the Door.” Our text is found in
John 10:7-10 which says: “ (7) Then said Jesus unto them
again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I AM the Door of the Sheep. (8)
All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear
them. (9) I AM the Door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,
and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (10) The thief comes not, but
for to steal and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Jesus is making it very clear that He is the only door – or path – to
forgiveness and eternal life. I AM means He is exclusive of all others, that
there is only one way, and it is Him. He also reminds us that there was and
always will be thieves and robbers meaning those who claim that there are ways
to salvation without Christ. But true believers – the sheep who did not and will
not hear them – will not be deceived by the false teachers.
A door is a means of exit and entrance. When we make the choice to allow Jesus
into our life and change us as only He can, we exit condemnation and enter the
door of forgiveness of our sins. Jesus said in John
3:17 that God sent Him, His son, into the world not to condemn it,
but that through Him the world will be saved. Because we haven’t had the benefit
of being born when Jesus walked this earth, we accept Jesus by faith. In doing
so we become justified. This means we are declared by God to be free of the
guilt and penalty of our sin. Paul tells us in Romans
5:1 that because we are now justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we allow Jesus to come into our life, we exit spiritual death. Faith and
trust in Jesus mean we are longer destined for Hell. Instead, we will be able to
enter the door to eternal life. Paul writes in
Ephesians 2:1: “And you has He quickened (made alive) who were dead
in trespasses and sins. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of
Eden, all of their descendants – the entire human race -- became guilty of sin.
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that
“…if any man be in Christ (saved by the Blood); he is a new creature (a new
creation): old things (what we were before salvation) are passed away; behold,
all things are become new.” By accepting Jesus as your personal Savior, the
person you were no longer exists because after everything Jesus has given you,
you are now a new person.
Jesus is the door to Heaven and accepting Him into our life allows us to exit
the road to Hell. We see in John 3:36 that
John the Baptist taught: “He who believes on the Son has Everlasting Life, and
he who believes not the Son shall not see life.” Nonbelievers will not see
eternal life. Jesus said in John 5:25,
“Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now, is when the dead
shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they who hear shall live.” He is
telling us two things: first being saved by Jesus brings us from spiritual death
into spiritual life. Second, it is a direct reference to the time when all the
saints will be resurrected. We learn in 1 John 5:12-13
that eternal life is a present possession because once we accept
Jesus and what He did on the Cross, we are assured that we will have eternal
life.
Jesus is the only door to forgiveness. There is no other door that will lead us
to new life on earth, or to Heaven when we die, or to eternal life in the new
kingdom. Many will try to find a door to these things without Jesus, but they
will discover that no other door exists. Baptism, communion, or church
membership will not get you through that door. Giving to churches or charities,
good works, or honesty won’t get you through the door to Heaven.
We must constantly be watchful for false teachers described as thieves and
robbers by Jesus in verse 8 of our text. They will try to convince us
that Jesus is not the only way to Heaven. Acts 4:12
tells us that no other name under Heaven given among men can save us. Jesus
confirms in verse 9 of our text that He will open the door in order for
those who chose to accept Him to enter in. He will accept all sinners, and all
races who want to be saved through Him.
Jesus is the only way for us. We all must come to Christ as the sinners that we
are. If you haven’t yet asked Him into your life, don’t wait any longer. We are
living in the last days. Look around and you see the world is spiraling out of
control. Jesus is waiting with open arms to accept you as one of His own.
So, until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on
you, show you grace and give you peace in the days ahead.
Sunday August 13th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
I Am the Light of the
World
John 8:1-12
Last week we began a study of the eight “I AM” statement made by Jesus. By
looking closely at them we can see how Jesus reveals Himself as the eternal Son
of God and can then better understand Him as our Savior. Last week we looked at
what Jesus meant when He said, “I AM the Bread of Life.” Our text this morning
comes from John 8:1-12 which says: “ (1)
Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives. (2) And early in the morning He
came again into the Temple, and all the people came unto Him; and He sat down
and taught them. (3) And the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a
woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, (4) They
say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act [when
you study the Greek translation of this passage, it says that the woman was
dragged into the temple and placed before Him. I always wondered why not the man
as well?]. (5) Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such should be
stoned; but what do You say? (6) This they said, tempting Him, that they
might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down , and with His finger wrote on
the ground, as though He heard them not. (7) So, when they continued
asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, “He who is without sin
among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (8) And again, He stooped
down, and wrote on the ground. (9) And they which heard it, being
convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest,
even unto the last; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the
midst. (10) When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman,
He said unto her, ‘Woman, where are those your accusers? Has no man condemned
you?” (11) She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I
condemn you; go, and sin no more. (12) Then spoke Jesus again unto them,
saying “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.” No doubt many of you have heard
this passage before, but just what did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the Light
of the World…” and more importantly, how does it relate to us today?
First, it’s not just about committing a sin – in this case adultery. Verses
1-9 are actually shining a light on ALL of the sins that we commit and how
because of them we must be condemned. Yes, this woman was taken because she
committed adultery and all the eyes in the room that day were focused on her
because of it. Also, the more important goal of the Pharisees was to trap Jesus
between the law and grace. They had the authority to condemn this woman but
because He said He had come to fulfill the law and He was also a friend to
sinners they wanted to trap Him. The law demanded death for adultery so they
wanted to see is He would follow the law. Jesus wrote something in the dust on
the temple floor. What was written, we are not told. But while He was writing,
they continued to demand an answer from Him. What Jesus did next was completely
unexpected by them. He challenged them all by demanding that whoever among them
that was without sin should throw a stone at her. Then Jesus continued to write
in the dust. We don’t know if the Scribes and Pharisees could see what He wrote,
but when they heard what He said to them, they had a crisis of conscience
because the position they had taken was so spiritually and morally impossible to
meet that they were forced drop the stones they held and left the temple. The
light of Jesus Christ shows us all that we are sinners. But it also shows us
that because of the light He brings into our life, we have hope because of who
He is and what He has done for us.
What the Scribes and Pharisees did should be a wakeup call for each one of us to
take an honest look at our own life. When we recognize our own sinful nature, we
are better equipped to extend mercy to others who are struggling with sin in
their lives. As sinners saved by grace, we must be looking for ways to help them
rather than hurt them. Jesus didn’t condemn the woman but He also didn’t ignore
or condone her sin. He told her to leave her life of sin. Today, He stands ready
to forgive all sin in our life, but confession and repentance means that we must
also make a change. With God’s help we can accept Jesus’ forgiveness and stop
doing wrong in His sight. This woman was guilty and had no hope until Jesus
showed her mercy. After her encounter with Him not only did she find
forgiveness, now she had hope that she could change her life. The light of Jesus
Christ brings hope to those who otherwise are living a hopeless life.
Jesus was speaking in the treasury which the part of the temple where the
offerings were given, and candles burned to symbolize the pillar of fire that
led the people of Israel through the wilderness. In this context, Jesus called
Himself the Light of the World. The pillar of fire was God’s presence,
protection, and guidance to His people in the desert. In that same way, Jesus
brings God’s presence, protection, and guidance into our life. Luke tells us in
chapter 1:78-79 that God in His mercy and love for us sent Jesus to give
light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death as well as to
guide us into the way of peace. Then in Luke 2:32
we are told that Jesus also is a light to the Gentiles, meaning all people
everywhere can be included in God’s plan for salvation, not just Israel. John
writes in chapter 1:4-6 that the light of Jesus is the light that shines
in the darkness.
Why does Jesus bring light to us? Because physical death brings eternal darkness
unless the eternal light of Jesus is planted within us to keep us alive in the
new kingdom for eternity. Jesus is eternally alive because He is God. He came to
the world to offer the hope and light of His eternal life. We can’t buy it. We
can only receive it as a gift when we choose to live the way God intended us to
live. Jesus shows us God’s compassion for a lost world and wraps it all up in
John 3:16 when he told Nicodemus: “For God so loved
the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.”
When we accept Jesus, His light gives our life direction. We are to go and sin
no more. We will no longer live in darkness but instead will have light from His
life. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-10 that
we are redeemed by the gift of grace from God through faith in Jesus Christ, not
of any good things we do lest we should boast. There is nothing we can ever do
would be good enough to save us. Accepting and trusting Jesus Christ for our
salvation is what is required to allow us to live the kind of life for which God
created us. The light that Jesus brings to our life removes the darkness that
exists because of sin. With His light we can now live a new life free of the
guilt of sin.
It is the sinless Savior, Jesus Christ, that brings light and life to sinners
who choose to accept Him into their life. Doing so takes sinners out of darkness
because we now live in His light of protection and direction. Only Jesus Christ
can do this. Good deeds won’t do it. Don’t let anyone convince you that Jesus is
not the only way to make it to Heaven. God’s Word clearly shows us that Jesus is
the only path to the light of eternal life with Him.
So, until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on
you, show you grace and give you peace in the days ahead.
Sunday August 6th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
I Am the Bread of
Life
John 6:35
Back when God came to Moses in the desert and spoke through a burning bush, He
commissioned Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand that he free God’s people, the
Israelites, from captivity in Egypt. Of course, Moses pushed back. He didn’t
think he could speak eloquently as it is believed that Moses had a stutter. He
also used the excuse of not knowing God’s name making it impossible to tell the
people who had sent him and why. We read in Genesis
3:12-14: “(13) And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto
the Children of Israel and shall say unto them, the God of you fathers has sent
me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His Name? What shall I say unto
them? (14) And God said unto Moses: I AM THAT I AM: and He said, thus say
you unto the Children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you.”
The Egyptians had many gods by many different names. Moses wanted to know God’s
name so the people would know exactly who had sent him to them. God called
Himself I AM, a name that describes His eternal power and unchangeable
character. In a world where values, morals, and laws change constantly, we can
find stability and security in our unchanging God. The God who appeared to Moses
is the same God who can live in us today. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that God is the
same yesterday and today and forever. Because God’s nature is stable and
trustworthy, we are fee to follow, trust, and enjoy Him. We can count on Him to
guide us no matter how much our culture or circumstances change. The divine name
Yahwe, which is often translated as “the Lord,” comes from the Hebrew word for
“I AM.”
So, let’s fast forward to the ministry of Jesus. During His ministry Jesus gave
us gave us eight “I AM” statements – seven can be found in the Gospel of John
and one in the Book of Revelation. Beginning this week, I will cover each of
these eight statements to allow us to better understand who Jesus is and how we
can apply what He said then to our lives today. We learn in
John 8:58 how Jesus shocked His listeners when
He said to them “Before Abraham was, I AM.” This statement is one of the most
powerful ever made by Jesus. Why? Because He said that He existed before Abraham
was born, and He was undeniably proclaiming His divinity. Not only did He say
that He existed before Abraham, He also applied God’s holy name, I AM, to
Himself. When He made this statement, the Jewish leaders were so upset that we
learn in verse 59 how they tried to stone Jesus for blasphemy because He
claimed equality with God, which was forbidden by their law.
This morning we will start with Jesus’ I AM statement found in
John 6:35. While teaching in Capernaum Jesus said:
“…I AM the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger; and he who
believes on Me shall never thirst.” We know that we all must eat bread, or food,
to satisfy our physical hunger and to sustain our physical life. Jesus is
telling us that we can satisfy our spiritual hunger and sustain our spiritual
life only when we have a right relationship with Him. This is why He said “…I AM
the Bread of Life.” But the key is, bread has to be taken in or eaten to satisfy
our physical hunger and sustain our physical life. Along that line, Jesus must
be invited into our hearts and become part of our daily lives to satisfy
spiritual hunger and sustain our hungry souls.
This statement tells us that Jesus is the Source of life. John writes in 1:3-4
that ‘all things were made by Him and in Him is life.’ We know from the Bible
that God places a high value on life. But the world today doesn’t hold that same
value. Abortion on demand ends life before God’s time for birth and euthanasia
or assisted suicide ends life before God’s time for death. Look at the increase
in murder rates and, more disturbing, lack of appropriate consequences. Life
comes only from God our Creator, and it must remain sacred. As Christians, we
must share the same regard for the sacredness of life which is given only by
God. When we allow Jesus into our lives, we change and work to live as He did
while on this earth in human form.
Jesus is also the Sustainer of Life. Bread, or food, is vital to sustaining
life. No one is strong enough to live long without food. When the food runs out,
life soon ends. Anorexic victims die because they refuse to eat. God provides
food for life. He provided manna in the desert as the Israelites wandered before
entering the Promised Land. The Prophet Elijah was sustained with food provided
to him by a widow during a famine. And God provides Jesus to us in order to
sustain our spiritual life on earth as long as we accept Him as our personal
Savior and do our best to live like Him. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which can
be translated as the “place of bread.” The communion bread that we partake of
each month symbolizes His broken body on the Cross which allows us to receive
forgiveness for our sins.
Jesus Gives us Satisfaction in our life. All who come to Him shall never hunger.
This means when we accept Him fully and honestly into our lives, He alone will
satisfy our inner desires. Earthly things such as wealth, fame, and success all
fail to give full and complete satisfaction. How do we know this? Look at the
number of people who attain these earthly goals yet have problems such as
depression, substance addictions, and lots of stress and strain trying to
maintain what they have. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, we don’t need
the things that the world needs to satisfy us. With Him as our Savior, our
Guide, and our Teacher, we will not be hungry or thirsty for the worldly things
that those who do not know Jesus work for, yet are never completely satisfied
with when they attain them. Does this mean that God doesn’t want Christians to
become wealthy, famous, or successful? No. It means that these things should
never be our goals. Then when or if we attain them, we can't let them replace a
strong and faithful relationship with Jesus. There will be many ups in downs in
everyone’s life. But true satisfaction in the life we live while on this earth
can only come from Jesus. He alone gives us help through the ups and downs and
gives us the promise of eternity when we leave our earthly life.
It’s not difficult to go to Him. It doesn’t require a complicated religious
ceremony to accept Him into your life. If you haven’t already done so, all you
need to do is pray to God and admit you are a sinner. Tell Him that you believe
that Jesus is His Son who was crucified and rose again to give you salvation.
Tell Him that you want Jesus to come into your life so you can have your sins
forgiven and be saved for all eternity. Then ask Jesus to forgive your sins and
help you to live the kind of life that God wants you to live. Believe in Him. Go
to Him. Allow Him to guide your path that is shown to you in God Word.
So, until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on
you, show you grace and give you peace in the days ahead.
Sunday July 30th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
Obstructions to Our
Faith
Galatians 5:7
Our Bible tells us that living a life of faith is like running a race. We run
well when our faith stays strong in spite of life’s setbacks that will
occasionally cause us to get off course. From the moment we made the decision to
follow Jesus, Satan made it his mission to throw obstacles in our Christian path
with the goal of pulling us away from Jesus.
Paul’s letter to the Galatian church is a wonderful lesson in how not only
churches, but specifically Christians can fall away from their faith. Our text
is from Galatians 5:7 which says: “You did
run well, who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?” Through Paul’s
ministry, the Galatians began their church and their Christian walk on the right
path. But as you study the letter, false teachers were now attempting to pull
them away from the Cross to other beliefs. Paul’s words ‘you did run well’ are
sad because they speak of past blessings the church received from their strong
faith but with the passage of time their faith was now failing.
What was causing them to fail? They had begun to listen to teachers who told
them that they needed to conform to the Jewish laws. The Bible calls these kinds
of people false teachers that Satan uses as a tool – then and even today – to
pull them away from Jesus and His work on the Cross for their salvation. We see
in chapter 3:1 where, in order to get their attention Paul called them
foolish. In chapter 4:13-15 we learn when Paul
first preached the Gospel to them, he was suffering from an illness, but instead
of treating him with contempt and scorn because of his sickness, they welcomed
him and his message of salvation through Jesus as if he were an angel sent from
God, or even Jesus Himself. Yet now they had lost their early love and
compassion for others and the joy of their salvation because of legalism (in
this case the need for strict conformance to Jewish law) that had crept into
their church.
When legalism in any form creeps into our faith, it poisons us. Today it comes
in the form of those who try to tell us things like Jesus is not the only way to
get into Heaven, or that because God loves us He won’t be sending anyone to
Hell. When we listen to these kinds of false teachings, it can make us feel
guilty instead of feeling loved. It produces within us self-condemnation rather
than humility because it stresses performance over our relationship with God,
and it points out how far short we fall rather than how far we have come because
of what Jesus has done for us on the Cross. If you find yourself feeling guilty
over past or present sins or over things you are being told that aren’t taught
in the Bible, you need to check your focus. Ask yourself if you are taking your
rightful claim to the freedom that faith in Jesus brings or if you are trying to
live up to the demands and expectations of others who are perverting the
teaching in the Bible which is the Word of God.
Paul told the Galatians, and us today, that they are perverting the Gospel and
anyone who does that will eventually be cursed by God. The false teachers throw
enough of the Gospel into their teachings to make people think their message is
legitimately from God. Today they tell us that God is love so He won’t punish us
for doing things that the Bible specifically tells us are wrong such as
abortion, same-sex marriage, and denying the facts of basic biology.
Another issue Paul brought to the attention of the Church was fighting among
Christians. He instructed them that Christians are to show love and not hate to
one another. Jesus tells us in John 13:35 that we
are to love one another as He loves us. That means we are to care about them,
help them, and we shouldn’t let petty differences come between us and others. We
are also required to practice this behavior outside the church with family,
friends, coworkers and even strangers so that they will see Jesus through us. In
Paul’s day this problem wasn’t specific to the Galatian church. He admonished
the church at Corinth for the same issue. Pettines and divisions are marks of
Satan and is an indication that we are following Satan instead of Jesus. James
tells us in chapter 3 that bitterness and conflict are from Satan, but he goes
on to add that peace among believers comes only from the Lord.
Another issue that obstructs our faith is the constant battle between our human
sinful self, encouraged by Satan, and the victory we can enjoy by walking
closely with Jesus. Living in this sinful world means that we are constantly
surrounded and bombarded by things designed to pull us away from Jesus. All we
need to do is look at the entertainment that is offered to us, the headlines in
the news, and even the actions of our leaders because of their lust for power.
As Christians, we must always have our guard up, so we won’t be led away from
our Christian path and what the Bible tells us is true.
Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22-23 that through the
help of the Holy Spirit, Christians produce something special with their lives.
He calls the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit spontaneously and creatively
produces this kind of fruit, or results, in all who choose to follow Jesus. The
Spirit generates Christ-like character traits in us because we are becoming more
like Jesus who perfectly modeled them. When Christ is at the center of our
lives, these traits grow and flow from us naturally. We get them without the
help of the Holy Spirit. If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we
must live in close union with Jesus. We must submit to Him, know Him, love Him,
remember Him, and imitate Him This will allow us to fulfill the intended purpose
of God’s law for our lives: to love God and our neighbors. This is how we honor
God and what He has done for us through Jesus and the Cross
So, I encourage all of you to examine your live to determine if you are
continuing to serve Jesus. Are you serving Him better today than you did when
you first accepted Jesus and chose to become a Christian? If not, look within
yourself and at your life to determine what it is that is obstructing your faith
and keeping you from Him. Then do the necessary work to remove the obstruction
so you can return to the place of being fully committed to Jesus so your life
can be an example to others of how Jesus can transform them, bring them love and
a peace that passes all understanding. This is hard work and will not end until
we leave this life. But the rewards will far surpass anything that this world
through Satan will ever give you.
So, until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on
you, show you grace and give you peace in the days ahead.
Sunday July 23rd, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
A Woman to Remember
in the Last Days
Luke 17:32
Through our study of the Book of Revelation, something that is made perfectly
clear is that the world is going to be destroyed so it can be made new again.
The Bible tells us that we are living in the last days. Because of this, it is
critical that we live a Christian life so we will be ready when we either pass
from this life through death or are taken in the Rapture of the Church.
The Bible gives us some examples of what happens when people aren’t ready when
the end comes. For example, what happened when God sent the great flood? Noah
was ready because he listened to God and built the Ark. However, the people made
mocked him and died because of their unbelief. What happened in Sodom and
Gomorrah in the days of Abraham and Lot is another example of what can happen
when people aren’t properly prepared in the last days. God had decided to
destroy the cities because they had become so wicked. Abraham prayed that God
spare Lot and his family from the destruction that was to come, and God agreed.
The family was instructed to leave the city and not look back. However, Lot’s
wife never made it to safety because she disobeyed God’s instructions. She
looked back at the burning city she loved which caused her to die because God
turned her into a ‘pillar of salt.’ Our text from Luke
17:32 is short. Jesus is saying, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
What is it about this woman that almost 2,000 years later, Jesus tells His
disciples to remember her?
This was a woman who had a lifetime of exposure to her religion and God as she
shared in the experience of Abraham when God told him to pack up and leave his
homeland and head to the place that God would show him. She knew all about
Abraham’s altar and his prayer life, and she and her family certainly benefited
from his generosity. 2 Peter 2:7-8 tells us
that her husband Lot was a righteous man, But the righteousness of her husband
was not enough to save her.
We are fortunate to live in a time where there are churches everywhere. We have
access to ministries through the radio, television, and the internet. It’s easy
to own a Bible of our own, and there is so much Biblical literature that we can
turn to in order to better understand the Bible. All of this is important to our
Christian live, but in spite of all that is available to us, the truth is that
exposure to all this information will not save us. Think about Gehazi who, was
the servant of the prophet Elisha; or Demas who was the associate of the apostle
Paul; or even Judas who was a disciple of Jesus. With all of their exposure to
the righteousness shown to them every day, none of them were saved. Today,
thankfully we live in a world where we can learn about God, His love for us, and
His plans for our life. Exposure to this knowledge is not enough to save us.
There is only one path to salvation: You have to ask Jesus to come into your
life as your Lord and Savior and to forgive your sins. Then you can use what you
can learn through the resources available to live a righteousness life using Him
as your example.
Like Lot back in his day, many people today are deeply disturbed by the sin and
corruption all around us. But being disturbed isn’t enough. Like Lot, Christians
must resist the temptation and pressure to conform to thing that are against
what the Bible teaches and live a righteous life standing up for what God tells
us is right and true. This is not easy, but it is critical to our eternal life.
What we don’t have to worry about are those who are sinful and corrupt escaping
judgment. Revelation makes it perfectly clear that the righteous and unrighteous
will be judged and rewarded or punished accordingly.
Abraham undoubtedly prayed for all of Lot and his family many times. Many
parents today pray for their children to come to God. A spouse will pray for
their unsaved partner to be saved and there are churches and prayer groups all
over this world praying for sinners to be saved. Prayer for the lost is one of
our obligations as a Christian. Every sinner has the potential to be delivered
from the hands of Satan. All they need do is turn to God and ask forgiveness
through the saving love of Jesus on the cross. We can help them by being an
example of Jesus to everyone we meet. We can tell them how Jesus can help them
when they are suffering, pray with them, answer questions they may have, and
tell them how God can change their lives so they can have His grace, peace, and
eternal life.
It’s a fact that we are all living in a doomed place. This world as we know it
will pass away. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:11
“Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought you to be in all Holy conversation and Godliness.” Peter is telling us
that if we have a right relationship with God, we will be ready and won’t be
surprised by the increase of sin and corruption all around us. We can learn from
Lot’s wife that our focus should not be on things of this world that are
temporary and will pass away, we are to be more concerned with eternal things
and how we can get ourselves ready for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Living a Christian is not easy and for sure it will get harder as time goes by.
There will come a point when God loses His patience with this world and put His
plan for the end of the age into action. The question we all must ask ourselves
is do we want to be on God’s side or Satan’s when the final battle of good
versus evil begins? Your answer will tell you what you need to do in order to be
ready for the future that we will all face. I can point you in God’s direction,
but it is up to each one of us to make that personal choice.
So, until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on
you, show you grace and give you peace in the days ahead.
Sunday July 16th, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
A Great Purpose
Statement for Life
John 3:30
This morning I would like to share a lesson with you from John the Baptist about
how we should live our lives. Luke 1:5-25
tells us he was born to the priest Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth who was also
a descendent of the first Jewish priest Aaron. Elizabeth conceived this child
late in life and because Zacharias doubted it was going to happen, God took away
his voice until the baby’s birth as punishment for his doubt.
God had a very specific plan for John’s life. He was to preach to the people
about the coming of Jesus. John did this so well that he became very popular
among the people. When Jesus began His own ministry and became more widely known
among the people, many of John’s followers became confused and jealous of Jesus.
Our text, which is found in John 3:30, is how John the Baptist responded
the confusion and jealousy of his followers. He said: “He must increase, but I
must decrease.”
What John said is a wonderful life-purpose statement for his followers and for
all Christians today. John’s willingness to decrease his importance shows an
extraordinary level of humility. All Christians, including pastors, leaders of
all kinds, and congregants need to pay attention to this short verse. It’s often
easy for Christians to focus on the social aspect of churches rather than
focusing on Jesus Christ. When we put more emphasis on that rather then on Jesus
and preparing ourselves and others for God’s kingdom, we will run into trouble
fast.
In addition to a purpose statement for life, our text is also a statement of
worship. “He must increase” are three words that declare exactly who deserves
first place in our lives and it calls us to fully surrender ourselves to Jesus.
These three words also reveal the common context of life. Everyday we have to
make decisions about many things from the simple to the complex. But we should
never make any decision without considering what Jesus would have us do and
asking Him to help us do the right thing. “He must increase” is saying Christ
deserves our dedication and worship. John the Baptist is declaring to those that
followed him that his life’s purpose was to exalt – meaning to honor, praise and
elevate -- Jesus Christ. As believing Christians, we are required to do the
same.
The second statement from our text, “I must decease” speaks of John’s humility
and reminds Christians that we must also be humble. John had no desire for the
exaltation lavished on him by his followers. He didn’t want praise for carrying
out his mission to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus. Because he came
from a family of faith and the fact that his birth itself was the result of a
miracle from God, shows us that he had the qualifications that would lead to
popularity and praise. Yet he wanted none of that. Even so, crowds gathered to
listen to him preach. Still, he never forgot his position and place in God’s
plan and kept it all in the proper perspective. He knew his mission was to honor
Jesus.
This short verse is a challenge to us to look closely at our own lives to see if
we are living as John did. Must we give up our home and live in the wilderness?
No. Instead, we are to ensure that Jesus is first in all that we do, and that
our dedication to Him increases every day. We accomplish this through prayers
and studying our Bible. We must pray for the courage to share what we learn from
God’s Word so people will see Jesus through us and want to receive Him into
their lives so they too can have the salvation and eternal life that He offers
and in turn, have a peace that the world will never understand.
We must also check where humility ranks in the purpose of our life. Ask yourself how important it is that others praise you for what you do. Do you work only to be recognized for what you accomplish? If recognition is more important to you than Jesus, you need a course correction. Then ask what you see as the greatest challenge in your life. If Jesus isn’t part of meeting or overcoming that challenge, then once again, you need a course correction. Finally, think about what Heavenly rewards might be given to you for your purpose in living. One day, we will all be judged before Jesus for how we lived our life as a Christian. Our names may be in the Book of Life, but we will still be judged on how we conducted our lives, and we will be rewarded accordingly.
John the Baptist’s commitment to telling the world about Jesus ultimately cost
him his life. He was arrested, thrown in prison, and beheaded by the order of
Herod the King. While it is unlikely that we will meet the same fate as John –
although with the way things are going in the world today, it may happen that we
will be punished somehow for our display of faith. Should that happen, it will
mean that our purpose for living truly honors Jesus and we will receive our just
reward. That my friends, is the position you will want to be in, and the
position that every Christian should work toward. Live your life in a way that
honors the One who gave His life for you so your sins could be forgiven,
forgotten, and live eternally with Him.
So, until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on
you, show you grace and give you peace in the days ahead.
Sunday July 9th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
Revive Us Again
Psalm 85:6-8,
2 Chronicles 7:13-14
What do you think of when you hear the
word “revival?” In terms of religion, it’s a nearly forgotten word. There have
been many great revivals in the past. Wesleyan revival had an enormous effect on
the Methodist Church of England in the 18th century. In the 19th and 20th
centuries, there were many traveling ministers who were able to change the
communities that they visited and force local churches to concentrate on their
own spiritual revivals. The results included extended prayer meetings to bring
about revival. Dwight L Moody once said, “Every great work of God can be traced
to a kneeling figure.” In other words, if we want results we must pray. There is
some evidence today that points to a return of such community-changing efforts
today. For example, this past spring there were revival meetings that lasted for
weeks at a few universities with a lot of students and non-students
participating. This give us reason to hope that our young people are turning to
God.
Let’s look at Psalm 85:6-8 which says: “
(6) Will you not revive us again: that Your people may rejoice in You?
(7) Show us Your mercy, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation. (8) I
will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people
and to His Saints; but let them not turn again to folly.” The psalmist knew that
his nation was in trouble and also saw that God was the source for the needed
revival. He was asking God to revive his people and allow them to be brought
back to a refreshing spiritual life. He was making a plea to God that looked
back to better days for which he wanted to see a repeat of the blessings that he
remembered from that time. He was tired of the pitiful conditions in his land
and trusted that God could bring about a much needed revival. The psalmist was
looking beyond the remorse of the present conditions to being able to rejoice
over the return of the blessings and favor of God upon his country. Again, he
was trusting that God would do what he was asking of Him. The English Baptist
preacher Charles Spurgeon once wrote that this psalm is the “prayer of a patriot
for his afflicted nation.” We need more such prayer warriors today.
Like the psalmist in our text, there are many people that long for the times of
the past when people believed and practiced their religion openly and joyfully,
when you were allowed to speak about God and His goodness without fear of
consequences. The word folly found in verse 8 of our text is an
interesting word that means the state or quality of being foolish, a lack of
understanding or sense. When we look around at things that are happening in the
country today, folly is an excellent description of what is happening in our
present society.
I believe that God wants to revive both churches, individuals and even nations.
I have no doubt that He is ready to pour out His love on us if we renew our love
for him. When we need a revival of faith, prayer, or power in our country, our
church, our family, or our personal spiritual life, the only way to ensure that
it will happen if for people of faith to ask God to give us a fresh touch of His
love. There aren’t a lot of traveling preachers these days that will visit towns
and churches to help bring about revivals. The only way it will happen is if
God’s people believe that God can and will bless us again with revival.
There is something all Christian believers can do to make the change that is
desperately needed in this country. We can find it in 2
Chronicles. Second Chronicles 6 shows us that King Solomon asked God to
make provision for the people when they sinned. God’s answer to Solomon is found
in chapter 7:13-14
where God said: “(13) When I shut up the heavens so that there is
no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,
(14) if my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from
Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Those same four
conditions -- humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, turn from our wicked ways
-- apply to all Christians today.
If we truly want a change in this country and an end to all the folly that is
happening, God’s people – us – can make that happen by following the conditions
set out in 2 Chronicles 7:14. We must humble
ourselves by admitting our sins; pray, asking for forgiveness; seek God
continually in order that we may know His will for our lives; and turn away from
sinful behavior. True repentance means more than talk. It requires that we
change our attitudes and our behavior. Whether we sin individually, as a group,
or as a nation, following these steps will lead to forgiveness and revival.
Remember, God will always answer every heartfelt prayer.
We can’t just sit back hoping that those responsible for the craziness in our
land today will suddenly stop. That isn’t going to happen because those that are
leading it have a personal stake in doing what they are doing. And make no
mistake, Satan is behind it. The fact is, Christians have an especially
important part to play if God is to revives us again. We can’t sit around
complaining about the conditions around us hoping God will eventually take the
action to revive this country. We have got to pray and pray continually knowing
that God will answer us. We should never feel that our individual prayers to God
won’t be heard or acted upon. If we genuinely want change in this land, we must
start by praying for what we want and believing that God will answer our
prayers. Then we must live happily looking forward to the time when He will.
Charles Spurgeon also wrote regarding the results of revival: “A genuine revival
without joy in the Lord is as impossible as spring without flowers, or dawn
without light.” The key is that we have to believe that God will hear our
prayers and bring about the changes that we are asking of Him. When believers
pray, God listens. Never think that He doesn’t. Trust in Him and understand that
He hears us. Pray earnestly and pray often. Our challenge is to to dare to
expect that God will hear our prayers and revive this nation.
Leave here today without the expectation that our leaders or those participating
in the craziness all around us will decide to stop. That will not happen.
Understand that it is up to Christians to bring about the needed change by doing
what God instructs us to do: humble ourselves, seek Him, turn from sinful
behavior, and most of all, pray. Then and only then will He hear us, and He will
heal our land.
Father, we ask You to help us to humble ourselves before you, admitting our sin
and asking Your forgiveness. Help us to look for You in every aspect of our
lives in order that we may have the strength and courage to turn from sinful
behavior. We know that this nation we love is in trouble and that Her problems
will not be solved without Your help. Even thou we are a small group we trust
that as long as we pray earnestly, You will hear us and heal our land. We ask
that You stir the hearts of every believer in this nation in order that they may
do the same. Help us to pray knowing that You will hear us and answer us. Until
we meet again, we pray that you will continue to bless us, keep us safe, shine
Your light on us, show us grace and give us peace through the turmoil we may
experience in the days ahead. We pray all these things in the name of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
Sunday July 2nd, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
The Lord Is Good –
Tell It Wherever You Go!
Nahum 1:7
Today we are going to take a look at the Prophet Nahum. He is the author of the
Old Testament Book bearing his name which was initially intended for the people
of the Assyrian capital of Nineveh and the southern kingdom of Judah who had
been under Assyrian domination. Nahum was a native of Galilee. The name of the
town Capernaum means village of Nahum” and the name Nahum means comforter. Nahum
prophesied that Judah would no longer be forced to pay tribute as insurance
against invasions. He wanted the people of Judah to be comforted knowing that
God was still in control. Nineveh was an example of all leaders of all nations
then and even today. God was, is, and will always be sovereign over all -- even
those who are seemingly invincible. We can be confident that God’s power and
justice will one day conquer all evil.
About 150 years before Nahum’s prophesy, there was another prophet names Jonah
who after a little side trip into the belly of a big fish, also went to Nineveh
to warn of its destruction if the people didn’t repent. They listened then and
there was a revival but as time went on, they slid back into wickedness. Now
Nahum was warning that God was going to judge the city of Nineveh for its
idolatry, arrogance, and oppression. Even though Assyria was the leading
military power in the world at the time, God would completely destroy this
seemingly invincible nation. God allows no person or power to usurp or scoff at
His authority. Even today, those who remain arrogant and resist God’s authority
will face His anger. No person, leader or nation will be able to hide from His
judgment. Only those who keep trusting Him will be kept safe forever.
Our text comes from Nahum 1:7 which says: “The Lord is good, a strong
hold in the day of trouble; and He knows them who trust in Him.” Given all that
is happening in our country and around the world these days, we should remember
that we are not to be afraid. Instead, we can take comfort even when we see the
erosion of the rule of law, the denial of the laws of human biology, and the
chaos that seems to be everywhere, we can see in our text that God can give us
tranquility in times of trouble, He will comfort us in times of chaos, and He
will bring us peace in times of turmoil.
Our text reveals the personality of our Lord. He isn’t a divine dictator who
wants to punish us, nor is He a triune tyrant waiting to pounce on us. The
child’s simple prayer says God is great, God is good. And He is! His creation
declares it as we read in Genesis 1:1-25. Every part of His creation speaks of
His goodness. Even people, the pinnacle of His creation, is good despite falling
into sin through the cunning evil of Satan. But rather than give up on us, God
again demonstrated His goodness by showing us His mercy and love through the
Cross. He gave up His son so that all who believe in Him can be free of sin have
everlasting life with Him.
In Nahum’s time Assyria, the world power that controlled what we know to be the
“fertile crescent’ around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, seemed unstoppable.
Its ruthless and savage warriors had already conquered Israel, the northern
kingdom and were causing suffering in the southern kingdom of Judah. Nahum
proclaimed that God’s anger would bring Assyria’s evil to an end in a few
decades when the mighty empire would be toppled by Babylon. This tells us even
today that no person, family, or nation on earth can defy God, the almighty
creator of all the universe and escape punishment. Our God who controls the sun,
the galaxies, and the vast stretches beyond also controls the rise and fall of
nations. All who defy Him will be destroyed by Him.
We also know that trouble comes into every life at some point. It’s the human
condition because of Satan’s deceit in the Garden of Eden.
John 3:33 says: “He who has received His
testimony has set to His seal that God is true.” Here John the Baptist is
telling people that all who believe Jesus is the Son who has come to show that
God His Father loves us and is true to His word, will be able to have a full
relationship with Him and have His protection in times of trouble. He will come
to us in times of sickness, emotional distress, depression, financial struggles
or whatever may be causing us turmoil. We have been given the privilege of being
known personally by an all-powerful God because of Jesus Christ and the Cross.
He knows us and we can know Him. He protects us and is worthy of our faith in
Him. He has made us equal heirs to all He has created through our acceptance of
Jesus as our Savior. So you see, Nahum was right -- our God is indeed good.
We can take comfort knowing that despite these crazy times in which we are
living today, God is good and will always prevail. Never doubt that He is in
control. His patience is long but there will come a time when it will be
exhausted, and all the world will know who He is and that He is in control.
Until that time, we must trust Him and take His message of salvation through
Jesus to the world. We are to always pray, to serve Him and others just as Jesus
did, and be an example of His love to all we meet. Our greatest accomplishment
would be to allow others to see Jesus in us so that they will become curious and
want to know more about Him. Leave here today knowing that no matter what
happens, we are the children of the one true and all powerful God. No matter
what happens in our lives or all around us in this world, all we need do is look
to Him for comfort, guidance, and protection. He will give us the strength to
resist the temptation to conform to this world and the courage to be a
transforming force to those that are lost and looking for guidance and comfort
in their lives.
This morning we will once again partake of the memorial reminding us of how
Jesus carried out God’s plan on the Cross. As we do so, remember the grace that
was shown to each one of us on the Cross and then make a conscious effort to
live our life in a way that reflects gratitude for what we have been given
because of it.
Let’s pray. Father, as we gather around the table to remember what Jesus did for
us on the Cross, help us to approach it with humility and thankfulness for what
was done for us. Until we meet again, we pray that you will continue to bless
us, keep us safe, shine Your light on us, show us grace and give us peace
through the turmoil we may experience in the days ahead. We pray all these
things in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Sunday June 25th, 2023
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Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
The Transfiguration
Luke 9:27-36
This morning I would like to talk to you about the Transfiguration of Jesus and
its importance to our Christian lives today. Our text comes from
Luke 9:27-36 which reads: “(27) But I
tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of
death, till they see the Kingdom of God. (28) And it came to pass, about
an eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up
into a mountain to pray. (29) And as He prayed, the fashion of His
countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering. (30)
And behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elijah (31)
who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He should accomplish at
Jerusalem. (32) But Peter and they who were with Him were heavy with
sleep; and when they were awake, they saw His Glory, and the two men that stood
with Him. [this shows us how the child of God will die: simply going to sleep in
Jesus and awakening in Heaven in His presence] (33) And it came to pass,
as they [Moses and Elijah] departed from Him, Peter said unto Jesus: Master, it
is good for us to be here, and let us make three tabernacles; one for You and
one for Moses, and one for Elijah; not knowing what He said. (34) While
he thus spoke, there came a cloud and overshadowed them; and they feared as they
entered into the cloud. (35) And there came a voice out of the cloud
saying, “This is My Beloved Son; hear Him. (36) And when the voice was
past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close and told no man in those
days any of those things which they had seen.”
This is the second time that Jesus had taken only Peter, James, and John with
Him. The first was when He took them into the home Jairus to bring his daughter
back to life. Even though the three were quiet about their experience on the
mountain top, Peter confirmed what they saw later in his ministry and when he
wrote in 2 Peter 1:16-18: (16) For we
have not followed cunningly devised fables [referring to the teachings of false
prophets or anything that leads away from Christ and the Cross], when we made
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were
eyewitnesses of His majesty. (17) For He received from God the Father
honor and glory, ‘This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.’ (18)
And this voice which came from Heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the
Holy Mount.” Peter related something he personally witnessed, not a secondhand
story that he heard.
We see in verse 27 of our text where Jesus said there will be some that
will not taste death. At this time, He may have been referring to Peter, James
and John witnessing the Transfiguration, or all who would witness His
resurrection and ascension, or all who would take part in the spread of the
church after the coming Pentecost or perhaps He meant those who will be raptured
with the Church. Whether it was one or all of these conditions, what was also
true is that there would be no waiting for a future Messiah. He is the Messiah
and His kingdom would be made up of those who believe in Him and that one day,
His kingdom would come to power on this earth. Also, it’s important to take note
that in verse 27 Jesus did not say: all would see the Kingdom, only that
some will not taste death until that time.
In the days following this statement, Jesus went to the mountain to pray and
while He was praying His appearance changed -- He was transfigured, meaning His
outward appearance had changed to shining white clothes, giving the Disciples a
glimpse of His glorified form. He was joined by two men – Moses and Elijah who
also appeared in a glorified form. But there was a difference in the glory of
Jesus and that of Moses and Elijah. The glory of Jesus came from within Him
because He is God – the second person of the Trinity, whereas the glory of Moses
and Elijah was given to them by God. Moses had been dead for about 1,500 years
but Elijah had been translated, meaning he was taken up to Heaven without having
experienced death and by this point had been in Heaven for about 900 years.
There are many who call themselves Christians that believe in the doctrine of
“soul sleep” which means when we die our souls sleep until Jesus returns at the
Second Coming to establish His earthly Kingdom. The appearance of Moses and
Elijah confirms that the doctrine of “soul sleep” is not Biblical. The souls of
all those who die will be taken immediately to Heaven and will be glorified just
as Moses and Elijah were. No Christian should fear death because Jesus will
raise us to eternal life just as He promised.
Moses and Elijah represent two groups in the Bible. Moses represents the Law as
shown to us in John 1:17, and Elijah
represents the Church as he was ‘caught up’ just as the Church will be caught up
in the Rapture. The conversation between the three was about the upcoming death
of Jesus and Cross. This is an important conversation topic for Christians today
because all of Heaven is focused on the Cross. It was always part of God’s plan.
Failure to keep the Cross in focus was why the seven churches were admonished by
Jesus in the Book of Revelation.
The three disciples made some mistakes while on the mountain with Jesus. They
fell asleep causing them to miss the full conversation between Jesus, Moses, and
Elijah. Had they heard the entire conversation perhaps they would have expected
the upcoming death of Jesus on the Cross. We also learn in verse 33 that
Peter wanted build tabernacles to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Peter was placing
these two on the same par with Christ, which was not looked at favorably by God.
Also, it was easier to build tabernacles then to execute their primary mission
to minister to those needing the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The message for
us today is if we just sit and listen rather than share what we know about Jesus
and the grace of salvation afforded to all though the Cross, we become stagnant.
Like the Disciples, we are to go and share the love of Christ through the Cross.
Before leaving the mountain, the Disciples heard directly from God when He
descended from Heaven in a cloud. This was the same cloud that brought Israel
through the desert for 40 years and that covered the mountain when Moses
received the Ten Commandments. This time we see God confirming His love for His
son Jesus and instructing the Disciples to Hear Him. Those instructions apply to
all Christians. Just as Peter, James and John were instructed, we also must hear
Him when He calls us to salvation. We must hear Him when He calls us to service.
We must hear Him when He calls us to baptism. And we must hear Him when He calls
us to soul winning.
The Transfiguration is an amazing confirmation of what Christians have to look
forward to when they leave this life. But while on earth, it is a teaching
event. God Himself outlined for us what is expected in return for the gift of
eternal salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. The question we all
need to ask ourselves is do we hear what the Lord is telling us? If not, why
not? Have you truly given your life to Him? Do you need to reevaluate your
relationship with Jesus? If you do hear what He is telling you, are you doing
what He has called you to do, or have you allowed yourself to become stagnant?
How we answer these questions will impact not only our life here on earth, but
also on our eternal life. Like the Disciples, we are to use our lives on earth
not to please ourselves, but to serve God and others. This is what ensures that
we will see the Kingdom.
Let’s pray. Father as we leave this place today, we ask that you take all
resistance to Your will from us and give us the fullness of Your life and the
sufficiency of your practical daily help; that You will bring us together even
when we are apart so we can be supportive of one another in our prayers and our
service to Him. May you bless us and keep us all in hollow of His hand today and
always. In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Sunday June 18th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Meet Jairus – A Great Father
Luke 8:40-56
Happy Father’s Day, gentlemen! It’s a wonderful time to celebrate the special
men who have had influence in the lives of their children and give them
unconditional love. The world would have us celebrate great Kings and world
leaders who have led countries, generals who oversaw battles or even athletes
who have thrilled spectators with their amazing accomplishments. But God has a
difference perspective. He values men who have faith in Christ, who have been
faithful to their wives, and who have been Christian examples to their children.
This morning let’s look at one such father. His story is found in Luke
8:40-56: “(40) And it came to pass that, when Jesus was returned, the
people gladly received Him for they were all waiting for Him. (41) And
behold, there came a man named Jairus and he was a ruler of the Synagogue, and
he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought Him that He would come to his house.
(42) For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay
a dying. But as He [meaning Jesus] went, the people thronged Him. (43)
And a woman having an issue of bleeding twelve years, which had spent all her
living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any; (44) came behind
Him and touched the boarder of His garment; and immediately her issue of blood
stanched. (45) And Jesus said, Who touched Me? When all denied, Peter and
they who were with him said, Master, the multitude throng You and press You and
You say, Who Touched Me? (46) And Jesus said, somebody has touched Me for
I perceive that virtue [meaning power] is gone out of me. (47) And when
the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling and falling down before
Him, she declared unto Him before all the people for what cause she had touched
Him and how she was healed immediately. (48) And He said unto her,
Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole. Go in peace.
(49) While He yet spoke, there came one from the ruler of the Synagogue’s
house, saying to him, your daughter is dead, trouble not the Master. (50)
But when Jesus heard it, He answered him saying, fear not, believe only and she
shall be made whole. (51) And when He came into the house, He suffered no
man to go in save Peter, and James and John, and the father and the mother of
the maiden. (52) And all wept, and bewailed her but He said weep not, she
is not dead, but asleep. (53) And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that
she was dead. (54) And He put them all out, and took her by the hand, and
called, saying, Maid, arise. (55) And her spirit came again, and she
arose straightway, and He commanded to give her meat. (56) And her
parents were astonished but He charged them that they should tell no man what
was done.”
The synagogue was the local center of worship, and its leader was responsible
for administration, building maintenance, and worship supervision. It would have
been quite unusual for a respected synagogue leader to fall at the feet of an
itinerant preacher and beg him to heal his daughter. But Jairus, while a ruler
in the synagogue and a leader among his people, was also a father. He had heard
Jesus returned to Capernaum so he did the greatest thing any father could do, as
we are shown in verse 44: He went to Jesus and fell
down at His feet pleading with Jesus to come to his home because his only child,
a 12 year old daughter was sick and dying. Here was this great Jewish leader
humbling himself before Jesus and all those in the crowd that had gathered to
ask for help with a problem, he knew he couldn’t fix. His entire household was
upset, and his own heart was breaking. What did Jesus do? He honored this man’s
humble faith went with Jairus. As He did, the crowd surrounded and pressed
against Him because there were so many people there.
Among those who had gathered in this crowd to see and hear Jesus was a woman who
was living with constant bleeding for 12 years. She has been to many doctors,
costing her all the money she had, but none had been able to help her. She made
her way through the crowd until she was close enough to touch the hem of Jesus’
garment. That one touch caused her bleeding to immediately stop. Jesus felt it
and asked in verse 45: “Who touched me?” Everyone denied the touch and His
disciples tried to dismiss it by telling Him it was likely just the size of the
crowd that caused someone to press into Him. But Jesus told them that wasn’t the
case because at that touch He felt power leave Him.
Hearing Jesus ask who in the crowd touched him, gave the woman the courage go to
Him. Even though she was shaking with nervousness as she fell down before Him,
she also was astounded that Jesus felt the touch causing him to call for her.
She told him in front of everyone what her problem was and how she was healed
immediately upon touching His robe. Jesus’ response to her in verse 48 was
Daughter, be of good comfort, your faith has made you whole; go in peace. Keep
in mind that Jesus didn’t touch her, she touched Him. This exchange is important
because it tells all of us that even if the Lord doesn’t touch us, we can still
touch Him and receive whatever we may need!
While Jesus was speaking with the woman, someone from the home of Jairus came
and told him that his daughter had died so there was no need to trouble Jesus
any longer. But Jesus also heard what was said to Jairus as we see in
verse 50, He told Jairus “Fear not, believe
only, and she shall be made whole.” He was telling Jairus that despite what he
was told, he shouldn’t be afraid because everything was going to be all right;
the only requirement was for him to believe. That same message applies to all
fathers today. No matter what problems there may be with their children, don’t
be afraid. Instead, pray, believe, have faith, and all will be made whole.
When they arrived at the home, there were a lot of people there crying and
wailing. Jesus insisted that the only people who would be allowed in the house
would be the girl’s parents, Peter, James, and John. Everyone else had to go
outside. When Jesus told them in verse 52: “Weep not; she is not dead, but
asleep,” They laughed and mocked Jesus because they knew the girl was dead.
Verse 54 tells us that their reaction, prompted Jesus to throw them out of
the house. He then went to girl, took her by the hand and as shown in verse 54,
He said: “Maid, arise.” Then in verse 55 we see in
response to His authority, her spirit returned to her body, and she immediately
rose. Then Jesus told those still in the house to give her food. Her parents
stood by astonished, barely able to speak or move. It was at this time that
Jesus told them they were to tell no man what was done. He was not looking for
publicity or admiration for the miracle He just performed. He also knew that
when others saw the living child walking around, it would be the proof that was
needed to silence all who would try to discount what Jesus had done.
There are many examples throughout the Bible of good fathers who prayed for
their children: Noah, Abraham, Job, Joshua. Jairus faced the greatest test of a
father’s faith. He did the only thing that could have helped his situation. He
trusted Jesus. Children who have fathers who pray for them and have faith that
their prayers will be answered are the most privileged children in the world as
their names are often before the throne of God. Sadly, children who are the most
underprivileged are those who grow up in godless homes and have parents who
never pray for them. Dads everywhere should always be praying for their
children, no matter how old they get to be and always ask for wisdom to help
them sort out the problems that will show up in their lives. When you pray, do
so expecting answers. Just as Jesus did with Jairus, He will take away your
fears if you only believe. Jesus can and will work out the problems in
accordance with God’s will because of your faith.
Jesus prepared Jairus to trust Him when He healed the woman who had touched His
robe. He knows us all so nothing can take Jesus by surprise. All we need to do
is trust Him and believe. When you walk with Jesus throughout our lives, I can
guarantee that you will always experience things that will improve your lives
strengthen your faith. It’s important that we pass that along to our children
from childhood through adulthood so they too can experience the power and peace
that only He can give.
As you leave this place today, may God our Father bless and keep you; may He
shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days
ahead.
Sunday June 11th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
The Book for All Seasons
Psalm 119:103-105
Let’s talk about the Bible this morning. Throughout time, it has been referred
to as God’s Word, the Law, the Scriptures, and as we know it today, the Bible.
Psalm 119:103-105 says: “(103) How sweet are
Your Words unto my tastes. Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (104)
Through Your precepts I get understanding. Therefore, I hate every false way.
(105) Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” The
psalmist is speaking about the importance of God’s Word to his life. He had come
to love its teachings and used it as a lamp to light his path in life. The
Apostle Paul declared the Bible to be a book for all seasons, meaning that no
matter how old he is or whatever circumstance he may find himself in, God’s Word
would always provide him comfort, guidance, and wisdom. It showed him what he
should do, what he should say, and how he should behave. Paul wrote in
2 Timothy 3:16-17: “(16) All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God [meaning God himself gave the writers the words to
put on paper] and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness; (17) that the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Paul is telling us that because
Scripture is from God, we know it can be trusted. We must read it daily and
always apply it to our actions and decisions. The Bible safeguards us against
false teaching and guides us in how we should live. It is our only source of
knowledge about how we can be saved. God wants to show us the truth and equip us
to live for Him. It is so important that we develop the discipline of reading
the Bible regularly to discover God’s truth which will enable us to become
confident in our lives and our faith. So, how can we apply Paul’s confidence in
God’s word to daily life?
As Christians we are called to share the message of Salvation through Jesus
Christ with others. But fear of speaking to others often prevents us from doing
that. We worry if we will I the right thing or if we are asked questions we
can’t answer. Well, when we are afraid to speak to others about God and His
message of love and salvation, we need to read the Bible to take away those
fears. Exodus 4:1-12 tells us of God’s call
to Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to release the Israelites from bondage.
Of course, Moses’ was that he was not an eloquent speaker because he was slow of
speech and of tongue (meaning he had a speech impediment, which some scholars
say was a studder). God’s response was ‘Who has made man’s mouth and makes the
dumb speak, the deaf hear and the blind to see Have not I the Lord?’ God knows
us including each and every one of our fears and shortcomings. Nothing is about
us is impossible for Him to overcome. Just as He enabled Moses to go to Pharaoh
and demand the release of His people, He will enable each one of us to overcome
every fear we have in order to share His message. We don’t have to be eloquent
speakers. Even if we are, that eloquence will never save anyone. People use
eloquent speech often to deceive others. How many politicians have you heard
speak very eloquently but never follow through on what they said they would do
to help their constituents; or worse yet they use their eloquent speech to flat
out lie to the voters? When God called the prophet Jeremiah to service,
Jeremiah tells us in 1:9: “Then the Lord put forth His hand, and
touched my mouth, and the Lord said unto me, ‘Behold, I have put My words in
your mouth.” This verse clearly explains the meaning of inspiration. The words
we speak will be God’s words because if God asks us to do something, we can be
assured that He will give us all the tools needed to get the job done, including
the right words, the right message, and the courage to share that message
because He made our mouth as well as our eyes, ears and, minds; and He will be
right there with us when we work for His purposes.
It’s important to read the Bible when we are feeling weak.
Isaiah tells us in chapter 40:28-31 that even the strongest of people get
tired and weak at times. But God’s power and strength never diminish. He is
never too tired or too busy to listen and help us. His strength is our source of
strength. So, when we feel that life is crushing us and we can’t go another
step, all we need do is call on God to renew our strength. Psalm 46:1 tells us
God is our refuge and strength, and a very present help in troubled times. and
Philippians 4:13 tells us that we can do all things through Christ who
strengthens us. Strength comes to us by keeping our eyes on Jesus, remembering
that we are just passing through this world and will eventually be in a better
place where peace and happiness will be the only way of life. Don’t lose hope or
give up no matter what you are facing. God promises to give us strength to
continue. With the Holy Spirit’s help and with the help of fellow believers, we
can stand firm and strong in the Lord.
There will be times in our lives when we will be filled with fear. Perhaps a
loved one is seriously ill, family, or financial problems may be looming, or
employment issues are overwhelming. So, what should we do? Read the Bible.
Isaiah 41:10-13 tell us that we should not be
afraid because God is with us. We should not be dismayed because He is our God
and will hold our hand and will help us. The Bible is the source of all our
faith so lean on it and trust it. Romans 10:17
says “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Faith
doesn’t come by hearing just anything, but by hearing God’s Word, and believing
that it is true. There are 150 instances in throughout the Bible where we are
told to not to fear. That’s 125 times in the Old Testament and 25 times in the
New Testament. God is telling to trust Him and not be afraid. Have the courage
to believe it!
There will be many times in our Christian lives where Satan steps in to tempt us
in order to get us to doubt our faith. When that happens, read the Bible. We are
told in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that “There has no
temptation taken you but such as in common to man, but God is faithful who will
not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able.” Paul is assuring us that
God has placed limitations on Satan regarding what he can and can’t do to us. We
have God’s promise that all temptations are overcome by our faith remaining
constant in Jesus and the Cross, which gives the power of the Holy Spirit to
help us. Everyone faces temptation regardless of faith so we shouldn’t feel we
have been singled out. Others have resisted temptation, and we can as well.
Every temptation can be successfully resisted because God will show us the way.
God will help us recognize the people and situations that give us trouble, He
will give us the strength to run from anything we know is wrong and help us to
choose only what is right for our lives. All we need do is pray for God’s help
and surround ourselves with people who love God and can offer help when we are
tempted. Most importantly, we must lean on the Word of God to help us. And we
can use Jesus as our example. Matthew 4 tells us that when Jesus was tempted by
Satan in the wilderness, Jesus quoted Scripture which caused Satan to turn tail
and run. We can do the same!
God loves us and He will always meet us where we are. If we are troubled,
fearful, tired, or confused, God will provide exactly what we need to get us out
of any situation we face. Reading and studying our Bible imprints in our hearts
and minds how much God loves and how He will always help us. True wisdom goes
beyond possessing knowledge. True wisdom comes when we apply what we learn in a
life-changing way. It corrects us, leads us in the right direction, and teaches
us to make holy choices. Intelligent or experienced people are not necessarily
wise. True wisdom comes from allowing God’s Word to guide us and make a
difference in our lives. To walk safely at night, we need a light, so we don’t
trip or fall. In this life we must walk through a dark forest of evil. The Bible
is the light that shows us the way ahead, so we won’t stumble and fall. It
reveals the entangling roots of false values and philosophies. We need its light
to show us the path to our desired destination. We need to study the Bible so we
will be able to see our way clearly enough to stay on the right path. The Bible
will change us from what we are to what we should be if we choose to read it
daily and apply it to every aspect of our life.
Until we meet again, I pray that God our Father will bless and keep you; that He
will shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days
ahead.
Sunday June 4th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Sir, We Would See Jesus
John 12:20-21
There is a sign above the doors of our Sanctuary with the words “Sir, we
would see Jesus.” It’s a very profound statement so this morning I would
like to talk to you about its context and more important its meaning for us as
Christians. We find it in John 12:20-21 which say:
“(20) And there were certain Greeks among them who came up to worship at
the Feast. (21) The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida
of Galilee, and desired Him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.”
This conversation took place shortly after the triumphal entry of Jesus into
Jerusalem when the city was crowded with thousands of Jews who had come for the
Passover celebration which is the feast referenced in our text. There was also a
large group of Greeks, who were Gentiles that had come as well. Why would
Gentiles come to a Jewish celebration? Because they longed to know about God.
It’s likely they had become disillusioned with Grecian philosophy because they
found it didn’t satisfy their needs and failed them in other ways. This caused
them to look for God through Judaism. They had heard about Jesus and were
particularly intrigued by what they heard about the miracles He performed. And
they wanted to know more about what it was that allowed Him to speak with such
authority. The truth is, seeing Jesus was and is the heartfelt desire for so
many regardless of their race, culture, citizenship, or religious beliefs. How
do I know this? Think about all the primitive, isolated cultures where people
believe in a higher power or great creator. No missionary visited them to tell
them about God or Jesus, yet they still knew there was something greater than
themselves. The native American Indians believed in the great spirit long before
the colonists arrived on the continent. There is something innate to all human
beings that was put there by God our creator. There are those who chose to
explore it further and those who chose to reject it completely, but it is there.
Perhaps this is why many atheists who chose to believe that God doesn’t exist
are so adamant about erasing everything concerning Him. They feel threatened and
perhaps don’t want to be reminded that they might be wrong.
Our Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 ‘...all have sinned and come short of
the Glory of God.’ But it doesn’t end there. Romans 10:9,10,13 tell us “(9)
…if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in your
heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. (10) For
with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is
made unto Salvation. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved.” Eternal salvation is really as simple as telling God you
believe Jesus is His Son and acceptance of Him as your Savior will erase your
sins. Anyone, anywhere can be saved when through faith, and believes in who
Jesus is and what He did on the cross. Salvation will not come from any
religious ritual. It’s a conversation between God and the one seeking salvation
through Jesus.
Too many people believe that all they need to do is participate in religious
ceremonies and attend church regularly to be saved. This is a dangerously false
assumption. The truth is there are too many who have joined churches all over
the world who have been baptized, take communion, and attend services regularly
but they are still lost. Eternal life is not given to anyone through church
attendance and participating in religious rituals. John writes in 1:12
and 13: “ (12) But as many as received Him, to them gave He power
to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on His name. (13)
Which were born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.” This tells us that all who welcome Jesus as Lord into their
hearts and allow Him to be Lord of their lives are reborn spiritually and
receive a new life from God. Through faith in Jesus, this new birth changes us
from the inside out – rearranging our attitudes, desires, and motives. Being
born makes you physically alive and places you in your parents’ family. Being
born again of God makes you spiritually alive and puts you in God family. That
comes from allowing Jesus to make you a new person which gives you a fresh start
with God and it is available to all who choose to believe in Him as their
Savior.
This is what that group of Greeks were looking for when they asked to see Jesus.
They came to Philip with a reasonable request that must be asked by all who have
the desire to be a Christian. Those who “see” Jesus are given the responsibility
to change the world. All who call themselves Christian must face up to this
responsibility. We can’t just say we believe and hang around living the same
life we did before until we die. We now have a job to do.
Jesus will return one day to establish His Kingdom here on earth. Until that
time, His kingdom will grow in the hearts and minds of all who believe in Him as
the Son of God and know Him as the one who paid the price for their sins. Every
person who makes that commitment to Him now has a responsibility to share His
message of love and forgiveness which will increase the members of the kingdom.
Matthew 5:14-16 says “(14) You are the Light
of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do
men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it give
light unto all who are in the house. (16) Let you light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works.” A city that is sitting on top of a hill
can’t be hidden. Its light can be seen for miles at night. If we live for Jesus,
we will glow like lights, shining brightly with His love. Many who are living in
spiritual darkness will be attracted by our light and want to step into it. The
light given to us by the love and sacrifice of Jesus will always reveal the
truth. We hide our light by: (1) being quiet when we should speak, (2)
going along with the crowd instead of standing apart from it, (3)
denying God’s truth, (4) letting unconfessed sin dim our light, (5)
not explaining our light to others, or (6) ignoring the needs of
others. We must be a beacon of truth and light for others to see. Don’t shut
your light off from the rest of the world.
I have two questions for this this morning. One: do you see Jesus in your life?
He is revealed to everyone in the Bible. Study it often and look for Him in
every word, verse, and chapter. The Bible is God’s love story for the world. In
it you will see that He is inviting you to trust Him, accept Jesus into your
life, have your sins forgiven, and receive eternal life. The second question is:
would anyone seeking Jesus want to come to you? If you are living as Jesus
lived, you will be the light that others see and want to know more about how
they can have your light in their lives. Shine the light that only He can give
you so that you will spark the curiosity of those who are searching. Allow
yourself to see Jesus and let Him shine His light in you and through you.
Until we meet again, I pray that God our Father will bless and keep you; that He
will shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days
ahead.
Sunday May 28th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Remembering Sacrifices
of Love
5-28-2023
1 Chronicles 11:15-19
Tomorrow is Memorial Day where we will remember those who have sacrificed their
lives to keep us free. Growing up it was a special day in our family as my Dad’s
older brother was killed in World War II. We could never pass by Washington DC
as we traveled without visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I remember
watching many parades. To commemorate this day my junior high school always had
a Memorial Day program showing special honor to Corporal Horace Thorne who died
in World War II at the age of 26. Corporal Thorne was posthumously awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor, which led to naming Thorne School in honor of his
sacrifice.
So many sacrificed their lives in the past and continue to do so today in order
that we may remain free and safe. Every single person who has given their lives
did it out of love for others, our country, and the freedoms it affords us to
this day. These sacrifices must never be forgotten. This is why we have Memorial
Day.
Our text for this morning’s message is from the Old Testament,
1 Chronicles 11:15-19 which sa: “(15) Now
three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of
Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim
[known as the valley of the Giants]. (16) And David was then in the hold,
and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Bethlehem. (17) And David
longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of
Bethlehem, that is at the gate! (18) And the three broke through the host
of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the
gate and took it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink of it but
poured it out to the Lord. (19) And said My God forbid it me, that I
should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their
lives in jeopardy? For with the jeopardy of their lives, they brought it.
Therefore, he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.”
David was in hiding from King Saul. Samuel had anointed David King of Israel,
but Saul usurped his position, taking on the kingship and was very jealous of
David. In fear of his life David was forced into hiding. During this time, he
was protected from Saul by mighty fighting men who were willing to give their
lives for him. Three of the captains of this force visited David while he was
hiding in a cave. During their visit, David spoke of his hometown of Bethlehem
where he tended sheep and was anointed king by Samuel. His time in hiding no
doubt made him homesick and brought back many happy memories. One of which was
being able to drink water from the well at the Bethlehem gate. Memories were
powerful motivators for David just as they are for us today. Just like David,
they cause us to long for times we wish we could have back again. Very often
these memories of simple or mundane things or times we could have back with
those we have lost.
The men that were protecting David heard his lament and made it their mission to
make his wish come true. In order to do this, the three men had to go through
the enemy lines of the Philistines twice -- to get to the well and to get back
to David with the water. The Captains risked their lives to serve and please
David. David recognized that their loyalty to him and was inspired by their
devotion to God, so he poured out the water as an offering, demonstrating that
only God is worthy of such devotion.
Jesus also broke through the enemy lines of Satan to bring us living water. His
death and resurrection provide the water of life for all who believe in Him as
their Savior and Lord. As David’s men gave of themselves to serve David, we are
to put aside our own interests to serve others. Just as men and women have given
their lives in service to this country. We are in debt to all who have made
these sacrifices of love. When we serve others, we are serving God and we are
also making sacrifices of love.
Can you recall times in your life that the memories of those who have made
sacrifices of love for you have moved you? Sacrifices your parents made to give
you food and clothes, perhaps paid for trips or your education? Do those things
have an effect on you? Does the knowledge of the sacrifice of Jesus affect you?
Any sacrifice made out of love is supposed to effect and change us for the
better. Otherwise, the sacrifices made out of love were made in vain, and we
dishonor those who have made them.
We must never forget. That’s why we must always take the time to remember them
and how our lives are better because of what they did. Then we should make it a
point to live lives that reflect what has been given up for us because of love.
When we are willing to make sacrifices for others in the name of love, then we
are truly changed people and living how Jesus lived.
On this Memorial Day, let us all take time to reflect on our lives and remember
all of those who have made sacrifices so we could have a better life. Let those
memories inspire you to help others whenever and wherever you can. That is the
example Jesus left us. Let’s not waste opportunities to live for Hm and show
other the love He has shown to us.
Until we meet again, I pray that God our Father will bless and keep you; that He
will shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days
ahead.
Sunday May 21th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
The Ascension of
Jesus Christ
Acts 1:2-12
This past Thursday was forty days since we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus
and as Scripture tell us, He ascended to Heaven. How the Bible uses numbers is
very interesting. The number 40 is used 149 times to show us times of testing,
trial, and triumph. Here’s a few examples: it rained 40 days and 40 nights
causing the Great Flood, Moses lived in the desert for 40 years before answering
God’s call to lead his people out of Egypt, he was on Mount Sinai for 40 days
and nights receiving God’s law, Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years
before God allowed them to enter the Promised Land, Jonah warned Nineveh for 40
days that God would destroy the city, our Lord Jesus fasted for 40 days before
being tempted by Satan, and we have the ascension of Jesus to Heaven 40 days
after He rose from the dead.
Our text this morning is found in the book of Acts of the Apostles 1:1-12
where Luke writes: “ (1) The former treatise have I made [referring to
his writings in the Gospels of Luke], O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both
to do and teach (2) until the day in which He was taken up. After that
He, through the Holy Spirit, had given commandments unto the Apostles whom He
had chosen. (3) To whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by
many infallible proofs, being seen of them 40 days, and speaking of the things
pertaining to the Kingdom of God. (4) And being assembled together with
them, commanded they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise
of the Father, which said He, You have heard of Me. (5) For John truly
baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not too many
days hence. (6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him
saying Lord, will You at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? (7)
And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the time or the season
which the Father has put in His Own power. (8) But you shall receive
power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses
unto Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth. (9) And when He had spoken these things
while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
(10) And while they looked steadfastly toward Heaven as He went up, behold
two men stood by them in white apparel; (11) which also said, You men of
Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, which is take
up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go
into Heaven. (12) They returned unto Jerusalem from the Mount called
Olivet, which from Jerusalem is a Sabbath day’s journey [a little over half a
mile].” Here we are shown another mountain experience the Disciples had with
Jesus. There was the Sermon on the Mount, the Mount of Transfiguration, the
Olivet discourses, the beginning of the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, and now
the Ascension.
Our passage today is a bridge between the events recorded in the Gospels and
those marking the start of the Christian Church and the beginning of the Church
Age. Jesus spent His last 40 days on earth teaching His Disciples, which
dramatically changed their lives. Before His resurrection, they had often argued
with each other and even deserted Him. Peter lied about knowing Jesus. Yet, as a
result of these final meetings with their risen Lord, the Disciples had many of
their questions answered. They became convinced of His resurrection, they
learned about the Kingdom of God, and discovered their own power source, which
is the Holy Spirit.
We see in John 14:2-3 how Jesus told them He was
going to be leaving them. He said He was going to prepare a place for them and
would come again to take them back to Him. The time had arrived for Him to do
just that. Jesus had to leave this world in order to make the necessary
preparations for God’s eternal Kingdom. And you know what? That same promise is
given to all who believe in Jesus. All who believe and accept Jesus as the risen
Son of God who died for their sins will look forward to eternal life with Him.
Verses 4-8 of our text show us His ascension to Heaven was necessary in order to
prepare the Disciples and all who come to believe in Him, for His return. Until
that happens, believers – past, present, and future – can receive the Holy
Spirit and allow it to work in their lives to show the world who Jesus is and
what He can do. Jesus spoke of this in John 14:15, 17, and 26 when
He assured the Disciples that the Holy Spirit would provide comfort, counsel,
and encouragement, as well as be a reminder of the life and teachings of Jesus
allowing them to plant this knowledge firmly in new believers’ heart and minds
so they also can share it with others. The Holy Spirit lives within all who
accept Jesus to give them comfort, teach them, and remind them of how Jesus
would have them live. The Holy Spirit cannot work in anyone who has not accepted
Christ. It is only available to true believers. It is what gives them the power
to witness, the ability to provide peace to those who are suffering, and the
courage to live a Christ-like life.
Jesus is also preparing for His return as we are shown in verses 6-11. The
Disciples always had question about Jesus becoming King and freeing them from
Roman rule. On this day, He again reminded them as He had in
Matthew 24:35 that only God the Father knows when He will return to
establish His eternal Kingdom. While no one knows the when, we do know what
Jesus teaches about the Kingdom.
First, it will be a spiritual kingdom established in the hearts and minds of
people who choose to believe in Jesus. God’s presence and power will dwell in
believers in the person of the Holy Spirit. The power believers receive from the
Holy Spirit includes courage, boldness, confidence, insight, ability, and
authority. In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus
instructed His Disciples to witness to people of all nations about Him. All
believers today have that same charge. It isn’t necessary to travel worldwide,
we can do this in our little corners of the world. So, what is Jesus doing until
He returns? He is preparing a place for us, He is interceding for us as told in
Hebrews 7:25, and He is moving people and nations in accordance with God’s plan
for His eternal Kingdom. Then, when God the Father tell Him, it will be time for
Jesus to resurrect those who have died in order to bring them and all living
believers to Himself.
Prior to ascending to Heaven, Jesus further instructed them to wait in Jerusalem
until they received the Holy Spirit. God has important work for each one of us
to do for Him, but we can only accomplish it through the Holy Spirit working
within us. We need God’s spirit, power, and timing to be truly effective. We
have to resist the need to take matters into our own hands and run ahead of Him.
Waiting is sometimes part of God’s plan so instead of running ahead of His plan,
we should wait, listen, and learn where He is leading us.
Finally, in verses 10 and 11 we see two angels appeared to the Disciples
asking why they were gazing into Heaven telling them that Jesus would return the
same way He left. What they were telling them was to stop wasting time staring
into the heavens and get themselves back to Jerusalem as they were told so that
they could get to work. The day of His return will happen and the whole world
will see it. It is up to all believers to prepare for that day. This is a
personal choice we all must make. We can choose whether we want to be with Him
for all eternity or suffer the consequences that we are being shown in our study
of the Book of Revelation.
Studying our Bible allows us to sit in the presence of the resurrected Jesus to
learn from His school of discipleship. Believing in Him allows us to receive His
power through the Holy Spirit and become new people. By joining with other
Christians, we take part in doing His work on earth until He returns. It is time
for all Christians to get moving and do the work He has asked us to do!
So, until we meet again, I pray that God our Father will bless and keep you;
that He will shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all
the days ahead.
Sunday May 14th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
A Mother’s Contagious
Faith
2 Timothy 1:5
On this Mother’s Day, it’s easy to find many examples of Godly mothers in the
Bible. There’s the mother of Moses who gave up her son in order that he might
live, the mother of Samuel dedicated her son to the Lord before she gave birth
to him; and of course, we cannot forget Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus whose
heart was broken as she watched her son on the cross fulfilling God’s plan for
our salvation. In modern history there was the mother of John and Charles
Wesley, two men who gave birth to a Christian revival!
This morning our text is from Paul’s second letter to Timothy chapter 1 and
verse 5 where he writes: “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is
in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and
I am persuaded that is in you.” As he is writing, Paul is thinking back to when
he first met Timothy and invited him to join his evangelistic team. We learn of
this in Act 16:1-3 where Paul says the tremendous level of faith, he finds in
Timothy comes from his heritage which refers to the faith of his mother Eunice
and grandmother Lois.
Growing up, my sister Lois reminded me several times that her name and not mine
was in the Bible. But the truth is, these Biblical names are not familiar to
most people. Sure, we all know about faithful mothers like Mary the mother of
Jesus and her cousin Elizabeth who gave birth to John the Baptist; but who are
these two women that Paul speaks so highly of? They were early Christian
converts, likely from Lystra where, in Acts 16:1
we first learn of Timothy and his mother Eunice, who was a Jewess believer
who married a Greek. It was Lois, Timothy’s grandmother, who passed her faith to
her daughter who then passed it to her son, allowing him to become a blessing to
the apostle Paul. This act of passing of the faith along gives is a wonderful
example of how the faith of mothers can cause a chain reaction in their children
that spreads the message of Jesus throughout the world.
While we don’t know when Lois first came to faith in Christ, it is clear that at
some point she understood she was a sinner, she was able to grasp the concept of
grace, and that she responded in faith to God’s love by trusting Jesus as her
Savior because Paul tells us this in our text when he uses the word unfeigned,
meaning genuine and sincere, when speaking of Timothy’s faith that came from his
mother and grandmother. Eunice saw Christ in her mother and also believed. She,
in turn, passed her belief on to her son. This is a responsibility all mothers
have when it comes to faith and their children.
Paul is showing us how faith passes through generations. When her daughter gave
birth to her son, Lois no doubt was optimistic for her grandchild Timothy. We
know his mother felt the same. Why? Because the name she gave her son means
“honoring God.” These two women surely demonstrated a strong, genuine faith
throughout their lives serving as an example to Timothy. They did this the same
way mothers do it today: by engaging in an active prayer life, studying the
Bible, teaching their children about salvation through Jesus, and living their
lives as an example of how Jesus would have us live. Grandmothers hold a special
place in the hearts of their grandchildren, so the actions of a faithful
grandmother have a powerful effect on their grandchildren. How they live and act
will cause their grandchildren to learn from their example then hopefully
emulate them their own lives and make them curious to want to learn more from
the Bible.
The faith of mothers that takes hold in their children will have an effect in
the generations to come. Timothy became Paul’s companion in his ministry
preaching at Berea, Corinth, Macedonia, Ephesus, and Rome to spread the message
of Jesus. The letters that Paul wrote to Timothy are still working today to
spread faith in Jesus. All these years later, because of the life and work of
Timothy, the faith of his mother and grandmother was and continues to be shared
throughout the world today. There is no telling how many people came to Christ
because of the faith Timothy’s mother and grandmother taught him. What a legacy
those two women have left us!
All this underscores how important a mother’s faith is to the faith of their
children. It provides a solid foundation on which to stand as well as an
important example of how we are to live a Christian life. The role of Christian
mothers can’t be discounted when it comes to the sharing of the message of
Jesus. Mothers plant the seed and then nurture its growth in their children. I
think it’s safe to say that the lack of faithful Christian mothers today is not
serving our children well. Too many feel there is no room for faith or the
church in their life. This is so wrong, and we see the evidence all around us of
what happens in a world without faith.
I had the privilege of being raised by a Christian mother. She taught me through
her words and how she lived her life. Many times, she would ask me if I had
taken a problem or worry to Jesus, or she would tell me to think about what
Jesus do when I told her I needed some direction. She was telling me that I have
to rely on my faith in Jesus in order to take away my worries and have success
in my life – and she was right! She showed me what it means to be a Christian
and how to rely on Jesus to show me what to do.
If you had the privilege to be raised by a Christian mother, make it a point to
share the faith she instilled in you so that others can know the joy it brings
to your life. It’s true that there are many who didn’t have a faithful Christian
mother but thankfully that doesn’t mean they can’t come to faith and have Jesus
in their lives. All they need is have someone plant that seed so they can come
to know Jesus and live a life that will show others that He is real, He is
alive, and He has so much to offer that cannot be found in this world today.
That someone can be you and me.
So, on this Mother’s Day, take some time to reflect on how important the role of
mothers can be in passing faith to future generations. At the same time, we all
need to commit to sharing the love of Jesus and the promises and blessings He
gives to those who are lost and need direction.
So, until we meet again, I pray that God our Father bless and keep you; that He
will shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days
ahead.
Sunday May 7th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
WHAT TO LEAVE AT THE
COMMUNION TABLE
1
Corinthians 11:23-34
Today is the first Sunday of the month and the time when our Church celebrates
what the apostle Paul called the Lord’s Supper. When we repeat things, it’s easy
to take the meaning for granted. So, on this Communion Sunday I want to take
some time to remind us of what it means to participate in this ceremony look at
what we can leave at the communion table.
Our text is from 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 where Paul shared the
instructions for observing this ceremony as he received from the Lord. He writes
in verses 23-26 how Jesus introduced the first communion ceremony
following the Passover meal with His Disciples before He was betrayed and
arrested. Through this ceremony, we see the visible representation of the death
of Christ for our sins with the bread symbolizing His body and the wine the
symbolizing of His blood. This serves as a reminder not only of His death, but
also of His promise to return to lead God’s kingdom on earth. Our participation
in this ceremony and Christ’s presence as we do this each month strengthens us
spiritually. Paul writes in verse 25 how Jesus spoke of the new testament in His
blood. Some translations call it the new covenant. Have you ever thought about
what that testament or covenant actually is?
Prior to the death of Jesus, the only way people could approach God was through
the priests and the sacrificial system. Jesus’ death on the cross ushered in the
new testament/covenant or agreement between God and mankind. Now everyone can
personally approach God and communicate with Him directly. The people of Israel
entered into the old testament/covenant after their exodus from Egypt and it was
designed to point to the day when Christ the Messiah would come. So, the new
testament/covenant completes, rather than replaces the old covenant, fulfilling
everything the old testament/covenant looked forward to.
Eating the bread and drinking the cup allows us to remember how Christ died for
us and allows us to renew our commitment to serve Him. We are told in verse
26 that we are to “For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup,
you do show the Lord’s death till He come.” Thinking about what Jesus did and
why He did it is both a backward and forward look. We remember Jesus’ death and
resurrection, and we also remember that He is coming again. But our remembrance
has to go deeper than merely recalling or reflecting. When we take communion, we
participate in a memorial feast in a holy place at a holy time. If we aren’t
careful, it becomes just a ritual or pious habit and loses its significance.
Only when we take the time to appreciate what Christ has done and anticipate
what He will do when He returns, then the communion ceremony takes on a profound
sense of purpose. Every time we participate, we must take time to prepare
ourselves spiritually, and gratefully recall Jesus’ loving sacrifice for us.
In verses 27-35 Paul gives specific instructions about how we should
observe the communion ceremony. We participate thoughtfully because we are
affirming that Christ died for our sins; we are to take it worthily with the
appropriate reverence and respect; and we are to examine ourselves for any
unconfessed sin or resentful attitudes. We are to properly prepare ourselves
based on our belief in and our love for Jesus and we should be considerate of
others, waiting until everyone has been served so we can all participate in an
orderly and unified manner. Paul explained this because he observed church
members who were participating taking time to understand what the Lord’s Supper
actually means. To participate without the necessary reverence and respect puts
us at risk of being as guilty as those who had Him crucified. Every one of us
are sinners saved by grace and that’s why it’s so important to prepare ourselves
for communion. The communion ceremony will not save anyone from their sins, but
that doesn’t make it a meaningless ceremony that we do because we have to, or
just because we have always done it.
The communion table is a good place for us to leave some of the useless stuff we
carry around that can hinder our relationship with Jesus. Even though the
ceremony will not save the participants, the Lord’s Table provides other
benefits. It’s a place where we can leave all of our guilt. Why there? Because
it’s evangelistic in that it’s a way to convert sinners who have not yet
accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. The symbols of communion speak of
salvation through the shed blood of Jesus, and it is a good place to come in
faith the Him. It also provides a place for us to search our hearts and ask
forgiveness for unconfessed sins, as John tells us in 1
John 1:9: it’s a time to judge ourselves. Paul also tells us this in
verse 31 of our text. Confessing our sins to Jesus at this time allows us to
become free from sin’s guilt that can separate us from our Lord Jesus.
Celebrating the ceremony also allows us to leave behind any grudges we may be
carrying. We’re celebrating because Jesus’ death purchased the forgiveness that
we receive through faith in Him and what He did for us. Because we are forgiven,
we must also forgive those who have wronged us. Remember what Jesus said on that
cross recorded by Luke in chapter 23:34: “…Father forgive them for they
know not what they do.” If He could forgive what they did to Him how can we not
forgive those who hurt us and treat us badly? Anything that others may do to us
or say about us can never compare to what was done to Jesus at the cross.
We can also leave our bitterness about life at the communion table because the
message of the cross gives us a powerful reason to let go of our bitterness.
There was never any bitterness in Christ despite His suffering. How can we be
bitter about anything when Jesus endured such pain for us as Peter writes about
1 Peter 2:19-25. When we focus on what Jesus did, including the promise
of eternal life and peace, so many things in our lives that we allow to bother
us become meaningless. Because Jesus cared enough to die for us, He cares enough
to keep us day by day. This allows us to leave behind all of the things that
cause us stress and anxiety. The cross proves this for each and every one who
will believe in Him. All who accept Him through faith can have their stress and
anxiety taken away. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us we
can cast all our care upon Him for He cares for us.
Making our monthly communion service meaningful is something that we have to do
individually. I can share what the Bible says about the communion ceremony but
it’s up to each of us to personally prepare ourselves to participate. There was
an evangelist and prolific writer George C. Needham who died in 1902 and was a
friend of Dwight L Moody who founded the Moody Bible Institute once wrote “The
Lord’s Table is like a great bridge spanning the entire interval of the Church’s
history on earth. One end of it rests on the shame of the cross, while the other
is planted firmly in the glory of the Kingdom. This communion service sustains a
threefold relationship for all Christians: It is a reminder of our past
justification [meaning God frees us from the guilt and penalty of our sins when
we accept Jesus as our Savior; it is a reminder of our present sustenance in the
new life; and it is the pledge of our future blessedness and glory.”
Before we leave here today, we will once again celebrate communion. Let’s make
it a time where we look within ourselves to make sure we are living the kind of
life that Jesus would have us live especially given what He has done for us. Ask
forgiveness for any unconfessed sins, leave any grudges behind then forgive
those who have hurt you, let go of any bitterness you are holding on to about
life’s circumstances, and leave your worries with Jesus and trust Him to relieve
whatever stress and anxiety you are needlessly carrying.
And until we meet again, I pray that God our Father bless and keep you; that He
will shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days
ahead.
Sunday April 30th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Burning Hearts
Luke 24:13-35
This morning I’d like us to look at one of the several meetings with Jesus
following the Resurrection. Our text is found in Luke
24:13-34. Luke was a doctor, a Greek Christian, the only Gentile author
of the New Testament, a close friend and companion of the apostle Paul, and the
author of the Book of Acts. He wrote in 24:13-14 of
our text: “(13) And behold, two of them went that same day to a village
called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs [about 7
miles]. (14) And they talked together of all these things which had
happened.” This occurred on the day of the resurrection and these men were
followers of Jesus. One was Cleopas, who was Jesus’ uncle as he was married to
the other Mary who was the sister of Jesus’ mother and went to the tomb that
morning with Mary Magdalene. We aren’t told who the second man was, but many
scholars believe it was Luke, who likely didn’t mention himself by name because
he was the author of this Gospel.
Their conversation was about their broken hearts and the sadness and
disappointment they felt now that Jesus was gone because they truly believed in
Him and His message. But their lives were about to be changed forever because
while they were walking and lamenting with one another, we learn in verses 15
and 16 that Jesus came along and began to walk with them. Like Mary
Magdalene at the tomb, they didn’t recognize Him, even when He spoke. Verse
17 tells us Jesus said: “What manner of communications are these that you
have one to another as you walk and are sad?” Cleopas’ response in Verse 18
was a sarcastic comment: “Are You only a stranger in Jerusalem, and have not
known these things which are come to pass therein these days?” Jesus went on to
ask: “What things?” He said this because He wanted them to tell Him exactly how
they felt. Cleopas continued in verses 19 to 24: “(19)…Concerning
Jesus of Nazareth, which was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and
all the people. (20) And how the Chief Priests and our rulers delivered
Him to be condemned to death and have crucified. (21) But we trusted that
it had been He, which should have redeemed Israel and beside all this, today is
the third day since these things were done. (22) Yea and certain women
also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher
(23), and they found not His body, they came, saying that they had also seen
a vision of Angels, which said that He was alive. (24) And certain of
them which were with us went to the sepulcher [referring to Peter and John] and
found it as the women had said: but Him they saw not.”
Notice that Cleopas never once referred to Jesus as the Messiah or the Son of
God but made it clear that he expected Him to rescue them from Rome. Cleopas’
tone and words are a clear indication his sadness was because his expectations
of Jesus were not to happen. His reference to the three days past indicates that
he was aware that Jesus had talked about His resurrection, but because of his
focus on Jesus as a political liberator, he was disappointed that it was not to
be. Well, Jesus’ responded in verses 25-27 by giving them a Bible lesson
where He said: (25) O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the
Prophets have spoken. (26) Ought not Christ to have suffered these things
and enter into His glory? (27) And beginning at Moses and all the
prophets He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning
Himself.”
Jesus was reminding them that the Scriptures predicted His suffering and death
which should have been obvious to His followers. He also makes two declarations
about Scripture: First, it is the supreme authority as to faith and doctrine
because it is inspired by God; and second, its theme centers on the suffering
and glory of Christ: His suffering as our Sin-bearer, and His glory as our Sin-purger.
Jesus Christ went into death with the Bible in hand, and He came out from among
the dead with the Bible in hand. He instructed His companions that it predicted
His death and resurrection in relation to sin and its judgment – not politics as
so many wanted. Oh, to have been there when our Lord gave that Bible lesson! I
imagine that at this point their heads were spinning.
When they got closer to the village, Jesus acted as though He was going to go
further on the journey, but we see in verse 29 how the men insisted that He stay
with them because it was the end of the day. Then as they were about to eat a
meal, their eyes were suddenly opened they became aware of just who their
companion was. Luke wrote in verses 30-32: “ (30) And it came to
pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and break, and
gave to them. (31) And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He
vanished out of their sight. (32) And they said one to another, Did not
our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us, and while He opened to us
the Scriptures?” What Jesus did with the bread is symbolic of what He does with
us today: He takes us and then blesses us, and then breaks us for the spirit
must ultimately be broken in order for Him to accept us as one of His own. After
this He allowed the men [as well as us today] to truly see who He is, and their
hearts immediately changed from sadness to joy because they saw for themselves
that Jesus is indeed alive! They understood this as Jesus was opening the
Scriptures to them, and their hearts burned for more.
Then verses 33 and 34 tell us: (33) And they rose up the same
hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and
them who were with them (34) saying: The Lord Is risen indeed, and He
appeared to Simon, (35) and they told what things were done in the way,
and how He was known of them in breaking of bread.” Realizing what just
happened, they were so happy and excited with burning hearts they returned to
Jerusalem and found the remaining eleven Disciples who were gathered with others
who had followed Jesus to share the joy that they had experienced for having
seen the risen Christ. Cleopas speaks of Simon Peter seeing the risen Lord. We
don’t know how they had known of this, but Paul also mentions that Jesus
appeared to Peter alone in 1 Corinthians 15:5.
No other Gospel speaks of this meeting. When you think about it, it would be
strange for Jesus not to have shown individual concern for Peter because Jesus
knew Peter felt completely unworthy after denying his Lord. But Peter repented
and Jesus forgave him paving the way for God to use Peter in building Christ’s
church until He returns.
The two men heading to Emmaus that day shared that they finally understood all
that had occurred because Jesus had shown them using the Scriptures and also
with the breaking of the bread. But they could have missed the significance of
history’s greatest event because they were too focused on their own
disappointments and problems. To compound the situation, they were walking in
the wrong direction: away from the fellowship of Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem.
This is happening today. We are likely to miss Jesus and lose the strength to be
found in the comfort of studying our Bible and fellowship with other believers
when we become preoccupied with own own dashed hopes, frustrated plans, and
worries. When we look for Jesus at these times, we will experience the power and
strength that only He can bring us. That’s why we become part of the Church.
Today the Resurrection still catches people by surprise. Despite 2,000 years of
evidence and eyewitness accounts, many refuse to believe that it happened. For
the disciples of the day, it took seeing the living Jesus in their presence. For
many today, it takes meeting Christians who take the time to show them the
transforming love of the Jesus Christ through the cross and resurrection. Too
many today think they don’t have to go to church to believe in God. On its own
the statement may be true, but there are so many other important reasons to
attend church. Fellowship with like-minded believers helps to strengthen our
faith and allows us to support and learn from one another. That then gives us
courage to look within ourselves to see our weaknesses, see what Jesus has done
for us, which then encourages us to tell others that what He has done for us He
can also do for them.
Even though the two men on the road to Emmaus knew the old prophecies well,
they, like so many today, failed to understand that Jesus suffering was His path
to glory. They couldn’t understand why God didn’t intervened to save Jesus from
the Cross. They were so caught up in the world’s obsession with political power
and military might that they were blind to God’s values and His purpose. Jesus
turned worldly values and aspirations upside down: in His kingdom leaders must
serve, and a happy life comes from sacrifice. The world has not changed its
values. The suffering servant Jesus is no more popular today then He was 2,000
years ago. But we not only have the teaching of the Old Testament prophets; we
also have the ministry, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the eyewitness
accounts of the New Testament apostles, and the history of the Christian church
to testify to Jesus’ victory over death. It’s now up to us to confront the
values of our culture and put our faith in Jesus on full display; otherwise, we
also ignore the Good News of the resurrection of our Savior Jesus. We must let
Jesus and all He did for us burn in our hearts and share it with others.
So, until we meet again, may God our Father bless and keep you; may He shine His
light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday April 23rd, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Great Guarantees in
Christ’s Resurrection
I
Corinthians 15:3-28
So here we are almost 2000 years since the resurrection of Jesus. Today we
accept it by faith. But the times that we are living in sometimes make it hard
to keep that faith strong. To bolster our faith, I thought we should take look
at the guarantees Christians have because of the Jesus resurrection.
Jesus knew that His suffering and death was to be a substitute for the death of
sinners, and more important: it was the ultimate example of the love that God
has for us. Romans 5:8 tells us: “But God
commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us.” There was no guarantee that any human walking this earth would come to
believe that Jesus is the substitute for their sins, yet He did it anyway. There
is no greater example of unconditional love. But God’s redemptive plan didn’t
stop with the death of His Son Jesus. It also includes the resurrection.
Our text this morning comes from Paul’s writings in I
Corinthians15:3-28. He starts by telling us in verses 3-4 “(3)
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; (4) and that He was
buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”
Remember, Paul was a Pharisee and studied the Scriptures, or what we today call
the Old Testament, throughout his life. All of the Old Testament prophets told
how the Messiah would die for mankind’s sins and be resurrected. Yet it was met
with disbelief by so many of the people then, including Paul; and still is
today. Despite his Scriptural knowledge, Paul was on a mission to kill those who
believed Christ is the Messiah until he was stopped in his tracks by Jesus
Himself. This meeting took place after Jesus ascended to Heaven. And it
accomplished what was intended because Paul became one of the greatest apostles
of the New Testament and an ardent spokesman for Jesus Christ: the Messiah, and
the resurrected Son of the living God. As we see in I Corinthians 15:5-9,
the resurrected Jesus met with Peter, all of His disciples together, a group of
500 believers, and His brother James who did not believe in Him during His
earthly ministry. Those who encountered Him, saw Him in the flesh, spoke with
Him, and ate with Him. How could that many witnesses be wrong?
The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives three great guarantees to all who choose
to believe in Him and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection.
First, is the Guarantee of our Savior Himself. Romans 1:4 states that Jesus is
“…declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead.” Throughout time, all conquerors have been
conquered by death. All kings that have ruled have died or will die. Even
religious leaders have or will die. Samson was strong, but not strong enough to
escape death. Solomon, with all his wisdom didn’t escape death. Methuselah lived
969 years but even he died. Hebrews 9:27
says: “And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
Jesus Christ, the Son of God is the only one who has conquered death. This is
proof of His deity, meaning He is God. In John 2:19, He told the Jews who
asked for a sign from Him, “…destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise
it up.” Jesus said in Matthew 12:40 : “For as Jonah
was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of Man be
three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth.” He also said in
John 10:17-18: “(17) Therefore does My
Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. (18)
No man takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to
lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
from My Father.”
Second, we have the Guarantee of our Salvation. Paul writes in
1 Corinthians 15:17-20: “(17) And if Christ
be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins. (18) Then they also
which are fallen asleep [meaning have died] in Christ are perished. (19)
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
(20) But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of
them who slept.” Jesus’ death and resurrection as part of God’s plan for the
salvation of the world were under God’s full control. No one could kill Jesus
without His consent. If Jesus was merely a ordinary man, His claims to be God
would have shown Him to be insane. But His miracles proved His words true: He
really is God. The Jewish leaders couldn’t see beyond their own preconceived
ideas and desire for power and control, so they looked at Jesus only from a
human perspective and confined Him to a human box. But Jesus was not and is not
limited by their restricted vision. The resurrection of Christ is the very
center of Christian faith. Because He rose as He promised, we know that what He
said is true and that He is God. The resurrection affirms the truthfulness of
Jesus’ life and words and confirms His unique authority to say “I am the
resurrection and the life” found in John 11:25. Because He is risen, we
have certainty that our sins are forgiven, Because He is risen, He lives and
represents us before God. Because He is risen and has defeated death, we also
will be raised. Jesus’ resurrection guarantees both His promise to us and His
authority to make that promise. When we believe, by faith we take Him at His
word. Paul calls believer miserable because faith in Christ often brings
persecution, ostracism from family, friends, and society; and sometimes poverty.
It happened in his time, and it surely happens today. In the ancient Roman
empire, being a Christian had few tangible benefits. Many were killed for their
faith. It wasn’t a step up the social or career ladder. Sadly, today when we
hear of our so called Justice Department working with the FBI to put spies in
churches to look for so called ‘religious extremists,’ we may be returning to
those times. The most important take away is that if Christ had not risen,
Christians would not be forgiven and their sins would not be wiped away, and
there would be no promise of eternal life. If what Christians believe is not
true, we would be pitiful and miserable because we would be suffering for no
purpose.
Fortunately for us, this isn’t the case! Just as the first part of the harvest,
the first fruits, was brought to the temple as an offering (as shown in
Leviticus 23:10-44), Christ was the first to
rise from the dead to never die again. He is our forerunner, the proof of our
eventual resurrection to eternal life. If we remain sinners, we are eternally
guilty, the dead will have already perished forever, every terminal illness is
eternally terminal, and there is no joy to live for or to look forward to.
But we have the third guarantee which is the Guarantee of a Similar
Resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:21-28 says: “(21)
For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead.
(22) For as in Adam all, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
(23) But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits, afterward they
who are Christ’s at His coming. (24) Then comes the end, when He [Jesus]
shall be delivered up to the Kingdom of God, even the Father, when He shall have
put down all rule and authority and power [refers to the end of Satan power over
the earth at the conclusion of the Millennial Reign which we will learn more
about in our study of Revelation] (25) For He must reign till He has put
all enemies under His feet. (26) The last enemy that shall be destroyed
is death. (27) For He has put all things under His feet. But when He said
all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put
all things under Him. (28) And when all things shall be subdued unto Him,
then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him Who put all things under
Him, that God may be all in all [meaning there will be no trace of evil
anywhere].” This passage isn’t a chronological sequence of events, and no
specific time is given here. This style of writing which we first saw in our
study of Daniel and now in Revelation, is found throughout the Bible. Paul’s
point here is that the resurrected Christ will conquers all evil and death.
Although God the Father and God the Son are equal, each is a distinct individual
with special work to do. One of the roles of Christ the Son involves defeating
the evil in the world He created. First, He defeated sin and death on the cross,
and in the final days, He will defeat Satan even when world events seem out of
control and justice will be scarce.
We must always remember that God is in control and works in His time. He will
allow evil to remain until Jesus Christ returns to earth to usher in His new
creation. Should we die before the Rapture, we are assured in
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 that death is not an
end because of the Resurrection. Just as Jesus came back to life, so will we.
When circumstances in our own lives and the world turn tragic, we can take
comfort in the fact that God will turn every tragedy to triumph, poverty to
riches, pain to glory, and defeat to victory. All believers past, present, and
future will ultimately stand reunited in God’s presence, safe and secure. We can
comfort and reassure others with the promises given to believers by the
resurrection of Jesus so that when He returns, all believers – dead and alive –
will be reunited never to suffer or die again. This is the promise and the hope
given to all believers because of the resurrection of Jesus. He had to die so He
could be resurrected. It’s now up to all who believe to share this with all who
are lost and searching. This isn’t a choice, it’s a command we have been given
to go and tell others what Jesus has done for us. At first its hard but it does
get easier. Don’t be afraid. Jesus will give you the courage and words that you
need.
So, until we meet again, may God our Father bless and keep you; may He shine His
light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday April 16th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Tears On Easter Morning
John 20:11-18
It’s a beautiful spring day, our Lord Jesus is alive, and He will return to
earth one day. Romans1:4 confirms He is risen and is Lord.
1 Cor 15:17-23 assures us that our faith is not in vain, our
salvation is sure because He is risen, and we too have defeated death because of
the cross. The new beginning that comes with spring is surely a time to rejoice.
This morning I would like us to take a closer look at Mary Magdalene and her
experience at the tomb on resurrection morning. Our text is from
John 20:11-18 where John writes: “(11) But
Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping; and as she wept, she stooped down,
and looked into the sepulcher. (12) And saw two Angels in white sitting,
the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had
lain. (13) And they said unto her, ‘Woman, why do you weep?’ She said
unto them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have
laid Him.’ (14) When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw
Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. (15) Jesus said unto her,
‘Woman, why do you weep? Whom do you seek?’ She, supposing Him to be the
gardener, said unto Him, ‘Sir, if you have borne Him hence, tell me where you
have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’ (16) Jesus said unto her,
‘Mary.’ She turned herself [meaning she recognized Him] and said unto Him, ‘Rabboni;’
which to say, Master. (17) Jesus said unto her, ‘Touch Me not; for I am
not yet ascended to My Father but go to My brethren and say unto them, I ascend
unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and Your God.’ (18) Mary
Magdalene came and told the Disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He
had spoken these things unto her.”
Remember, Mary went to the tomb to embalm the body of Jesus but found that He
was not there. She began to cry after looking into the tomb a second time and
seeing two Angles who asked her why she was crying. Mary arrived at the tomb
already suffering from grief over Jesus’ horrendous death intending to perform a
very difficult task but found there was no body, so she turned away from the
tomb. Despite her emotional turmoil, at this point Mary doubted the Lord’s
promise and power when He had told His followers several times that He even
though He must die, He would live again. As she turned away from the tomb, there
was Jesus. He asked her why she was crying. Her response tells us that her
tears, fear, doubts, and grief didn’t allow her to recognize Him – she thought
He was the gardener. Then He spoke her name. At that point she instantly
recognized Him, and she called Him Master. Remember, Mary had lived a life under
the spell of seven demons until Jesus found her and removed them. Because He set
her free, her life was immediately transformed. Perhaps she felt His death more
than the others because of the way He has changed her life. And perhaps it’s why
He appears to her first as we find in Mark 16:9. She believed they had taken
away her Lord. If this had happened, her tears would be perfectly justified. But
the truth is, no one can take Him from us. Jesus tells us in John 10:27-30:
“(27) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
(28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither
shall any man pluck them out of My hand. (29) My Father, which gave them
to Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s
hand. (30) I and My Father are One.” Then Jesus gives Mary a mission to
carry out: ‘Go to My brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and
your Father; and to My God , and Your God.’ Take note that this is the first
time He addressed them as His brethren. This is important because it reinforces
the promise that all who believe in, accept, and trust in Jesus His brothers and
sisters and are equal heirs of God.
Mary came to the tomb that morning doubting the Lord’s promises, power, and
presence. I would submit that we are all often guilty of those same doubts. Are
you experiencing or have you experienced a dark period in your life causing you
anxiety? Do you worry about the current state of the world? Do you, like Mary,
believe in Jesus but doubt His promises, His power, and His presence in your
life? Anyone who has these doubts will feel as though there is a cloud hanging
over their life causing depression and anxiety. All of us will feel anxiety and
worry when our faith weakens or if it is nonexistent. Too often we believe in
Him but doubt His power and His presence in our lives. It’s time we stop
worrying and really trust in His promises, His power, and His presence. Many
things we find ourselves worrying about may never happen. When we need a path
out of a difficult problem, we must trade our doubts and fears for faith and
take refuge in the risen Christ. When we do that, it’s amazing how all the
problems in our life will work themselves out and the direction we need to take
will become perfectly clear. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells
us: “(5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your
own understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct
your paths.” This passage is a personal favorite of mine and while I admit I
sometimes forget to do what it says, when I come to my senses and put it into
action, I have never been steered wrong.
When Jesus spoke about the need to ascend to His Father in verse 17 of
our text, we are being shown the special relationship between believers and the
Heavenly Father which is the very purpose of the Cross and the Resurrection: we
can now have the same relationship as Jesus with the one true God and be
redeemed of all sins when we accept Jesus and what He did at Calvary. The moment
we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we spiritually ascend to God and He
becomes not only our almighty God but also our spiritual Father . We become
equal heirs to all of Heaven just as Jesus is.
John records four appearances of the Lord after His resurrection. Each one of
them banished four great enemies of the human heart: sorrow because we will be
united with loved ones who have gone before us; fear because we no longer see
death as an end but a transition; doubt because He keeps His promises, and His
word is true; and worry because He will guide and take care of us all the days
of our life. Mary happily carried out the mission Jesus gave her to go and tell
His disciples that He is alive. We have that same mission. Our lives are much
better when we trust in the promises, power and presence of Jesus and give
ourselves over to the work He began when He walked this earth. While it is
critical that we believe who He is, trust in Him, and what He has done on the
cross; it doesn’t stop there. We are called to share His message and bring as
many as possible into the family of God. There are so many lost and confused
people out there. We can show them how our living Savior can take away their
fear and doubt. We must have the courage to continue His mission until He comes
again.
Until we meet again, may God our Father bless and keep you; may He shine His
light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Easter Sunday April 7th, 2023
|
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Go Tell the Good News
Matthew 28:1-7
Because He lives, we can face tomorrow! How exciting and uplifting those words
are. Indeed, our Lord and Savior has risen, and because of that, our future is
secured. Our text this Easter morning comes from Matthew 28:1-7 which
reads: “ (1) In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the
first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the
sepulcher. (2) And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the Angel of
the Lord descended from Heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door
and sat upon it. (3) His countenance was like lightening, and his raiment
white as snow; (4) And for fear of Him, the keepers did shake, and became
as dead men. (5) And the Angel answered and said unto the women, Do not
fear for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified. (6) He is not
here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
(7) And go quickly and tell His Disciples that He is risen from the dead,
behold He goes before you into Galilee; there shall you see Him: Lo, I have told
you.”
The greatest event in the history of the world --past, present, and future --
has just occurred. It started with an earthquake early in the morning as two
women were arriving to embalm the body of Jesus. We’re familiar with Mary
Magdalene, but the ‘other Mary’ was not the mother of Jesus. She was likely the
wife of Cleophas who was the Aunt of Jesus and was at the cross with His mother
and Mary Magdalene as we are told in John 19:38.
Also, the stone wasn’t rolled away so that thieves could remove the body of
Jesus. It was rolled away by God’s Angel so the women -- and the world -- could
see Jesus was no longer there, This demonstrates His victory over death and the
grave. We have no evidence that the women saw the Angel’s arrival, but we do
know, from verses 3 and 4, the Roman guards did. The Angel’s arrival
caused an earthquake and the guards saw someone who’s countenance (or
appearance) was like lightening, wearing clothes that were white as snow. This
likely happened before sunrise causing them to shake from fear and become as
dead men. Remember, the guards were placed there at the request of the Jewish
leaders to prevent thieves from stealing Jesus’ dead body. If a Roman guard
failed to carry out orders, it certainly would mean severe punishment and
perhaps even death. No wonder they were scared and ran away.
The Angel spoke to the women telling them he knew they had come to see Jesus. He
went on to tell them ‘He is not here for He is risen, as He said.’ They were
then invited into the tomb to see where their Lord had lain. Jesus had told his
disciples and even the Jewish leaders that this would happen. But they all
failed to believe or understand His message.
No doubt these ladies were scared and confused. Experiencing an earthquake would
certainly scare me. If I saw a dazzling Angel dressed in white, I might even
pass out. Also, they were grieving after witnessing the horrible death of their
beloved friend. They saw his condition following the savage beating He received
at the hands of the Roman soldiers. They heard Him being mocked by their own
Jewish leaders at the cross and now they see His tomb is empty. They were likely
thinking what could possibly happen next.
God’s Angel, who was sent to announce the good news of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, had four messages for the women. First, he told them ‘Do not Fear’. Then
he confirmed that the reason He was not in the tomb is because ‘He is risen just
as He said.’ Next, he invited them in to see the empty tomb for themselves. And
finally, he tells them to ‘Go quickly and tell His Disciples.’ The messages of
this Angel are just as relevant for us today as they were to these two women so
many years ago.
The resurrection should never be something to fear. It should only bring joy
knowing we don’t have fear death any longer. The tomb was empty then and it is
empty today. Just as the tomb of Jesus is empty, so too will our graves be empty
because we can be part of His victory over the grave. They were tasked to spread
the joy of the Resurrection to His disciples. Today. we also are tasked to
spread the joy of being a Christian.
The resurrection proves the divine nature of Jesus of Christ. The Angel called
Him Lord in verse 6. During His ministry, Jesus
spoke several times about His death and resurrection. For example, John records
in 10:17-18: Jesus telling His Disciples that He will die but will live
again. He said: “(17) Therefore does My Father love Me because I lay down
My life, that I might take it again. (18) No man takes it from Me, but I
lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it
again. This Commandment I have received of My Father.”
John 2:19 shows Jesus telling the Jewish leaders “…destroy this Temple,
and in three days I will raise it up.” While they didn’t believe what Jesus was
saying, it got their attention causing them to request the guards at His tomb.
We must all understand that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the key to our
Christian faith. Jesus rose just as He promised so we can be completely
confident that He will accomplish everything else He promised for those living a
Christ-centered life. His bodily resurrection shows us that the living Christ is
ruler of God’s eternal kingdom, not a false prophet, impostor, or an empty
statue. We can be certain of our own resurrection because He was resurrected.
Death is not an end. It’s a transition to an eternal future with Jesus. The same
power that brought Jesus back to life is available to every person who allows
Him to bring their spiritually dead souls back to life. Finally, the
resurrection is the basis for the Church’s witness to the world. Jesus is more
than just a flawed, imperfect, human leader. He is the Son of the Living God.
Just as Jesus commissioned His Disciples to spread His message to the world, so
to must we share the Good News of Jesus with those that we meet. His message is
vitally important to everyone. All we need do is look around and realize that
time is running out. God is going to lose patience with this world and when that
happens, it will be too late for those who have chosen to ignore God’s
sovereignty over the world He created. It’s time for all believers to get
serious about bringing people to Christ. Think on these things and then take
action.
Until we meet again, may God our Father bless and keep you; may He shine His
light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Good Friday April 7th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
No Fault
Found in Jesus
John 18:38
Tonight, is the night we reflect on how and why our Lord Jesus was crucified for
our sins. We know that after the Passover supper where He instituted what we
today call our Communion Service, our Lord went to the Garden of Gethsemane to
pray. Jesus knew He was about to be betrayed by Judas, and that one of His most
trusted disciples, Peter, would deny Him three times before the night was over.
While praying in the garden, He asked His Father if He could stop what was about
to happen. Jesus was so anxious about what He was facing that He sweat drops of
blood. Modern doctors tell us that this can happen to people is severe emotional
distress. Yet in spite of His fears of what lay ahead, He said to His father,
‘nevertheless not my will by yours.’ Then He was betrayed by Judas, arrested by
the Roman guards, taken to the Jewish leaders to be integrated and then brought
to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilot, for trial and pronouncement of His fate.
He was also savagely beaten His bones were visible, then He was forced to wear a
crown of thorns. This Man was the only sinless person to ever walk the earth,
yet He willingly went through this, taking our sin upon Himself. Why? Because He
loves us.
Let’s look closer at Pilate, Jesus’ judge. After Pilate’s interrogation he knew
Jesus wasn’t guilty of treason against Rome or any other of infraction. We are
told in John
18:38: “he went
out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in Him no fault at all.”
Pilate offered to release Jesus as was Rome’s custom to release a prisoner at
Passover. The Jews rejected this offer and instead asked that Barabbas, a
convicted thief, be let go and that Jesus be crucified for crimes He never
committed. Think about it, Jesus went from the adoration of the masses on Sunday
to Pilate’s judgment hall where He was sentenced to crucifixion by Friday.
Pilate personally examined the accused and found no fault in Him. He repeated
his decision three times, as recorded in
John 18:38,
19:4, and 19:6. Peter confirms for us in his first epistle
chapter 2:22 that Jesus “..did not sin, neither was guile found in His
mouth.” In Hebrews
7:26, the apostle
Paul calls Jesus “…holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sin.” Still, Pilate
folded to the pressure from the Jewish leaders.
Pilate was in trouble with Rome because the Jews kept reporting complaints about
him to the Rome. He was sent to Jerusalem to keep peace among the Jews, and he
certainly didn’t want any revolts from them. So even though he knew Jesus was
innocent, it was more important to him and his position with Rome to do what the
Jewish leaders wanted. He left the answer to the question of what was to be done
with Jesus to others. Matthew 27:22 says: “Pilate said unto them, what
shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all said unto him, let
him be crucified.” They specified crucifixion because they believed such a death
would cause all the people to turn against Jesus. This was based on s the Law of
Moses condemned anyone hanged upon a tree as being cursed by God as we are told
in Deuteronomy
21:23.
Matthew 27:24-26
goes on to tell us: “ (24) Then Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing,
but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before
the multitude saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see you to
it. (25) Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and
on our children. (26) Then released he Barabbas unto them and when he had
scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.” It’s interesting to note in
verse 25 how the Jews cursed themselves and their children for their
actions. They still bear that curse for the appalling horror and suffering of
Jesus.
Keep in mind all of this happened exactly as God had planned at the fall of man
in the Garden of Eden. The time had come for God to set His plan in motion so
that mankind could be free from sin. None of us have earned such a gift. It is
available freely to all who will accept Jesus as their Savior because of the
grace of God our Father.
So basically, Pilate decided to not decide. But every person walking this earth
must make the decision to accept, deny, or to decide not to decide about Jesus.
Only one choice will provide you eternity with Jesus. Don’t make Pilate’s
mistake. If you haven’t yet received this perfect Savior by faith, do it now so
that you can be saved from eternal damnation and spend eternity with the sinless
One who willingly took on your sin. Believe and trust in Him through faith and
be saved.
May God our Father bless and keep you; may He shine His light on you, show you
grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday April 2th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
ON TO JERUSALEM
Luke 19:28-44
Today is the day that has come to be known as Palm Sunday. It is when we
celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Our Lord knew that he
had reached the end of His ministry here on earth. But prior heading to
Jerusalem, and because of His love and concern for His disciples, He shared a
parable with them. Parables were His way of teaching them how to deal with real
life experiences. This parable was about 10 pounds (or $5,000 in today’s
valuation) and is recorded in Luke 12:12-27. Jesus
speaks of a nobleman who became a king. The of this kingdom rejected their new
ruler. The king had to leave for a time but gave money to 10 of his servants
with instructions to care for it until he returned. Some did as they were
instructed others didn’t. All were judged upon the king’s return and were then
rewarded or disciplined as to how they managed the money. Did they lose it,
increase it, or maintain it? Jesus’ purpose in telling this parable was to
prepare His disciples for what was ahead. Jesus Himself is the king in this
parable and the money is actually people who need to come to Him for salvation.
Jesus knew that he would be received in Jerusalem by an excited crowd praising
and worshiping Him, but He also knew they would soon reject Him and He would
ultimately have to endure the cross.
Our main text this morning is found in Luke 19:28-44.
As we see in verses 28-35, it was time for Jesus and the disciples to go
to Jerusalem. Jesus knew His time had arrived and He knew exactly what He would
be facing when He arrived in the city. And Daniel’s prophesy in 9:25 finally
would be fulfilled and the Messiah will face crucifixion.
Verses 29-33 tell us how Jesus instructed His
disciples to go into a village and find an unbroken colt tied up. They were to
untie him and bring him to Jesus. Yet another ancient prophesy found in
Zechariah 9:9 was to be fulfilled. It says: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion
about, O daughter of Jerusalem behold your king comes unto you: He is just, and
having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass and upon a colt, the foal of an
ass.” When they were questioned by the colt’s owner, they were to tell him ‘the
Lord has need of him.” This is confirmation that God’s plan of redemption was
being carried out exactly as He intended and according to His schedule.
Verses 35-38 of
Luke 19 tell us His disciples
brought the colt to Jesus, spread their clothes on the animal as a sort of
saddle, then Jesus sat on it and rode into the city of Jerusalem. The disciples
didn’t want to go to Jerusalem at this time because the Jewish leaders had begun
to plot against Him so they were afraid for Him. But, Jesus chose this time
because it was a time when all Israel would be gathered in the city for the
Passover celebration. When they saw Jesus, they spread their clothes in the
streets for Him to ride over and waved palm branches. They rejoiced and offered
praise God saying: “Blessed be the King who comes in the name of the Lord; peace
in Heaven, and glory to the Highest,” which is shown in verse 38. But
those who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about
Jesus. They expected Him to become a national leader who would restore their
nation to its former glory. Because of this misconception, they became deaf to
the words of their prophets and blind to the real mission of Jesus the Messiah.
Even today, people become blinded by Satan and the ways of the world, and they
think Jesus isn’t not going to fulfil the hopes they have, they quickly turn
against Him as did the Jews did when He walked this earth.
Verses 39-40 show us how the Pharisees thought the crowd’s praises were
sacrilegious (meaning a violation of that which is sacred) and blasphemous
(meaning speaking irreverently about God). Also, they felt Jesus was challenging
their power and authority over the Jews and they didn’t want the people to
revolt which would have brought the Roman army to remove them from power. So,
they asked Jesus in verse 39 to “rebuke your
disciples.” His reply in verse 40 was “…I tell you that, if these should hold
their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Then in verses 41-42 we see how as He entered the city Jesus lamented and
cried because again, he knew what was going to happen not only to Him, but also
to the Jewish people. Jesus’ response to the Pharisees is recorded in
verses 43-44 “
(43) If you had known, even you at least in this your day, the things
which belong unto your peace but now they are hid from your eyes. For the days
shall come upon you that your enemies shall cast a trench about you (this was
fulfilled in AD 70 when the Jews revolted and Rome took over the city) and
compass you around and keep you in on every side (they weren’t able to escape
because they were surrounded). (44) and shall lay you even with the
ground, and our children within you; and they shall not leave in you one stone
upon another because you knew not the time of your visitation.” They refused to
accept Jesus and the message of His ministry).” The Jewish leaders had refused
God’s offer of salvation in Jesus Christ even after they were visited by God
Himself, and as a result, their nation would suffer. God didn’t turn away from
the Jewish people who obeyed Him. And He continues to offer salvation to the
people He loves, both Jews and Gentiles, even to this very day.
As for the parable I told you about earlier, Jesus taught His disciples that all
who accept His gift of salvation and trust Him as their Savior, have a
responsibility to increase God’s kingdom by sharing God’s message of salvation
through Jesus Christ and the cross. Our God is patient and longsuffering, but as
we are learning in our study of Revelation, there will come a day when God’s
patience will be exhausted and He will pour His wrath on this earth, finally
destroying Satan and his evil ambitions. Remember how the triumph of this day so
many years ago quickly turned to calls for crucifixion. Don’t let yourself fall
into the traps set by Satan. Many today want to erase everything that is even
remotely related to God. Don’t be a part of what they are trying to do. Stand
firm in your faith and trust in Jesus as your Savior.
We all know what happened after the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jesus was
arrested, crucified, and buried. And He rose from the dead to give anyone who
accepts Him, salvation and eternal life. All the scriptures concerning His
birth, rejection, death, and resurrection have been fulfilled. The only thing
left if for people to look at Him, understand exactly who He is, and why He
walked this earth. Don’t be like those ancient Jews and miss your opportunity
for salvation and eternal life. This world is surely spiraling down to Satan’s
depths of evil. Come to Jesus while there is still time.
Before we leave this morning, we will take time to remember the price that Jesus
paid for our salvation. We must never forget what He endured for each one of us
so we could be with Him for all eternity.
Until we meet again, I pray that God our Father will bless and keep you, that He
will shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days
ahead.
Sunday March 26th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
YOU MUST BE BORN
AGAIN
John 3:1-18
All of us want to go to Heaven, but the question is are we doing what’s
necessary to ensure that we’ll get there? There are a lot of people that have
religion but no spiritual reality. They think if they attend church regularly
and participate in the ceremonies services, and rituals of the church, they will
get into Heaven. Well, according to our Bible, that’s not enough to get anyone
into Heaven. How many times have you heard someone say they are spiritual but
not religious? Well, being spiritual won’t get them into Heaven either. The only
way to get into Heaven and that is to be born again. To some this might be a
confusing concept so, today I thought it would be helpful to share what the
Bible tells us about being born again because getting into Heaven requires one
to be born again.
We learn about this requirement from Jesus Himself in John chapter 3:1-18
when He was visited by a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a
member of the ruling council of Israel called the Sanhedrin. The Pharisees were
a group of religious leaders whom Jesus and John the Baptist often criticized
for being hypocrites. Most Pharisees were intensely jealous of Jesus because he
undermined their authority and challenged their views and how they ruled the
Jews. By this point in His ministry, there the relationship between Jesus and
the Sanhedrin was very tense. Pharisees also believed in an afterlife and the
coming of a Messiah. So as a Pharisee, Nicodemus was very knowledgeable of the
scriptures and was no doubt well educated. He was a teacher himself, but little
did he know, he was about to get the lesson of his live when he went to meet
with Jesus. Nicodemus was searching, and he believed that Jesus had some
answers. This is a stark reminder that no matter how intelligent and well
educated we think we are, we must all come to Jesus humbly with an open mind and
heart so He can teach us the truth about God.
We see that verse 2 of chapter 3 that
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. He was likely afraid that others would see him
and thus might lose credibility among his peers. But he had heard of the
miracles Jesus had performed and sincerely believed that He was a man of God. He
didn’t need religious instruction from Jesus because as a Pharisee, they were
very strict about observing the rites and ceremonies required by his Jewish
faith. But even this wise teacher needed something which he didn’t recognize
until he was with Jesus. He learned that he needed to be born again.
Jesus starts by telling him in verse 3: “…except a man be born again he
cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus knew about the kingdom and that it
would be ruled by God, be restored on earth, and it would be occupied by God’s
people. As one of God’s Chosen People, no doubt he thought it would be occupied
only by Jewish people. Verse 4 shows the
confusion Nicodemus experienced when he specifically asked how can a man be born
when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born?
Then in verse 5 we see how Jesus told him
about what was to him a revolutionary concept. Jesus said, “except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” Jesus
continues in verse 6: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Jesus was saying that every person is
born of water and the flesh which refers to the natural human birth process .
Only those who accept Jesus as the Messiah and Savior are born of the Spirit.
Verses 7-10 show Jesus’ reaction to the
confusion that Nicodemus showed when He said “ (7) Marvel not that I said
this unto you, You must be born again. (8) The wind blows where it
listeth, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell from where it comes,
and whither it goes; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. (9)
Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, how can these things be? (10) Jesus
answered and said unto him, are you a Master of Israel and knowest not these
things?” Jesus explains the born again experience by comparing it to the wind
which comes and goes but it’s impossible to tell exactly how. In other words, a
spiritual birth, like the wind, cannot be explained intellectually. As a
Pharisee Nicodemus was undoubtedly familiar with God’s promise to give a new
heart and new spirit to the faithful. Afterall he was well versed in the ancient
scriptures. For example, Ezekiel 36:25-27
says: “(25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be
clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
(26) A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within
you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you
a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you
to walk in My statues and you shall keep My judgments and do them.” This
prophesy refers both to the regeneration as carried out by the Holy Spirit at
the time of one being born again, and also to the baptism with the Holy Spirit,
which was first evidenced on the Day of Pentecost. The ability for mankind to
receive the Holy Spirit is made possible solely by the cross. God promised to
restore Israel not only physically but also spiritually. To accomplish this, He
would give them a new heart for following Him and put His spirit in them.
Jesus goes on to tell Nicodemus in verses 11-15
that the things He and his disciples have been able to do come directly from
God. If he couldn’t believe the things of Heaven, then he couldn’t believe
earthly things. He tells Nicodemus of His upcoming crucifixion and why it must
happen in verses 14 and 15 when He says: “(14)…so must the Son of
Man be lifted up (15) that whosoever believes in Him should not perish
but have eternal life.”
And then Jesus makes it all so perfectly clear in
verses 16-18 when He tells Nicodemus: “(16) For God so loves
the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not His
Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be
saved. (18) He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who believes
not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only
begotten son of God.” Jesus walked this earth to teach about God’s love and to
die to save mankind from their sins. He is the only source of salvation for this
sinful world and anyone that does not accept Him will be condemned for all
eternity. Salvation doesn’t come from the good works that we do it is only
because of God’s grace through our faith with the cross being the object of our
faith.
By this point Nicodemus’ head was probably spinning. He came to learn, and he
got the lesson of a lifetime. He learned that God’s new kingdom will be personal
– not national or ethnic—and the entrance requirements are repentance of sin and
spiritual rebirth. Also, he learned that God’s kingdom will not contain just
Jews. Jesus was available to this man in the dark of night. Even today, Jesus is
available to all of us everywhere, anytime, day or night. Our Lord is never too
busy for those who come to Him. He never leaves our side.
God offers a fresh start anyone who accepts the work of Jesus through the cross.
By accepting His promises and acting on them, anyone can have their sins washed
away, receive a new heart for God, and have His spirit live within them. Look
within yourselves this morning. Have you stubbornly resisted His love and
leading? Have you stonewalled His plans for you? The Holy Spirit can make you
tender and receptive to Jesus. Don’t try to patch up your old life when you can
have a brand new one with Jesus. If you have fully accepted Jesus and what He
has done for you on the cross, tell others about it so they to can know the
depth of God’s loves for them. There is no other way to enter the Kingdom of
God. All who will occupy God’s Kingdom will have been born again because of the
cross of Jesus Christ.
As you leave this place
today, I pray that God our Father bless and keep you, that He shine His light on
you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday March 19th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:9-15
Every service we hold here, following the opening prayer, together we say what
has come to be called the Lord’s Prayer. It’s often spoken by congregations
together, at important ceremonies, and also when people are alone privately
talking with God. Ever wonder why we have what we know as the Lord’s Prayer? It
is Jesus’ response to His disciples when they asked Him to teach them to pray.
Jesus taught them this pattern of pray when He said in
Matthew 6:9 “After this manner therefore pray you.” And what follows
next through to verse 13 are probably the 66 most familiar words in the
entire Bible.
This morning let’s look at what is this pattern of prayer all about. The opening
words, “Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name” speaks about the
relationship we have with God. He is our spiritual Father. It may invoke
memories of our own fathers. It reminds us that God is the father to the
fatherless as David wrote in Psalm 68:5.
David also writes in Psalm 103:13 that God, like human fathers, pities
His children; meaning that He has compassion for the suffering, distress and
misfortune that we experience and wants to give us help, relief and show us
mercy in times of distress. Isaiah tells us in 9:6 that our God is the
Everlasting Father. Pagan deities who real so they can’t personally care for
their worshipers nor do they last forever. Only believers can call God “Father.”
Jesus left Heaven to bring people into the family of God.
The opening of the prayer also calls for reverence toward God. The phrase
“hallowed be thy name” means that God is to be regarded as majestic, holy,
sacred, and venerated or treated with reverence which means an attitude of deep
respect and awe. It also means that our God is personal and loving. So, as we
approach Him, we do so with an attitude of worship, adoration, and thankfulness.
Reverence toward God recognizes His holiness and power. It’s also an
acknowledgement of our personal sin and our faith in Him as our loving God.
Showing Him reverence is also done when we live our lives in a way that shows
others that God is at the center of our lives. We must also show thankfulness
for all that He does for us – past, present and future.
Verse 10 of this prayer also calls for a return of and a return to God
which says: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven.”
Praying this recognizes His spiritual reign and Christ’s return. The disciples
expected the kingdom to come during Jesus’ time on earth because they thought
the world was ready. Today, we see that the world is more ready now than in
their time. But until His return, Jesus reigns in believer’s hearts. As
followers of Christ, it is our job to share His message and bring other know Him
as we do. Then, when evil has run its course, God will send Jesus to establish
His earthly kingdom. This will happen when God tells Him the time is right. Then
there will be peace that will last forever. The entire world will be filled with
the knowledge and love of God. All hostility, hatred, ill will, animosity, and
antagonism will be gone. No more clashes over skin color, rich versus poor, red
versus blue, conservative verses progressive, republican versus democrat. There
won’t be any supply chain issues and people will actually get along. The desert
will blossom like a rose, and the earth will produce abundant crops to sustain
all people.
Until that time, verse 11 tells us to ask God to “give us this day our daily
bread.” We are to look to the Lord as the provider for our sustenance, both
physical and spiritual. God gives us physical strength, wisdom, courage, and
spiritually He provides the Holy Spirit to lead us each and every day. Praying
this prayer acknowledges we didn’t create ourselves and that we are not
self-sufficient. We must trust God daily to provide what He knows we need.
Verse 12 says “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us.” This is a critical reminder of the importance of forgiveness. It
has us asking God to forgive us our trespasses or debts, depending on what Bible
translation you use. And here’s the kicker: as we forgive those who trespass or
have debts against us. Jesus teaches that we are to live a life of forgiveness.
Remember He forgave those who crucified Him. This is often an overlooked portion
in this pattern of prayer. By refusing to forgive others, we deny our common
ground as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness and we break the family
relationship God wants us to have will all people. Whenever we ask God to
forgive us of our sin, we should first ask ourselves if we have forgiven the
people who have wronged us. The forgiveness we get from God requires us to
forgive those who have hurt or done wrong things to us. Never forget how God
planned for Jesus to take the shame of our sins on Himself at the cross allowing
us to be forgiven! Jesus reminds us in verse 14 and 15 of Matthew chapter 6 that
if we can’t forgive others than God won’t forgive us. We must put our pride and
ego aside to forgive and forgive often. If we don’t, we are at risk of losing
our very soul.
Verse 13 is the closing statement of this payer. It starts with “and lead
us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” We’re asking God to give us
enough confidence and strength through our faith so we won’t be led astray. We
are also acknowledging that only God can take away the evil traps that Satan
constantly puts in our path, and recognize that we cannot do it alone. We only
succeed by depending on God’s love and care to help us live a life true to our
faith when so many around us want to destroy our belief. Only God can protect us
from those who want to see us fail or want to harm us. Finally, when we pray,
‘for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen,” we are
affirming that this world does indeed belong to God and not Satan. We are
acknowledging that God is all powerful, will defeat Satan, and will forgive us
of all our sin because of what Jesus did on the cross. We are saying that we
will always give God glory and praise for what He does for us, and that we will
do this forever. And when we say ‘amen’ which means ‘it is so’ or ‘so be it,’ we
are confirming that all that we have prayed will happen in a way that follows
the will and power of God our Father and that it will always be to our benefit.
“Amen” is a statement that expresses solemn ratification of or agreement with
all that God has done and will continue to do for us and for this world.
John R. Rice, a Texas Baptist evangelist who passed away in 1980 at the age of
85, once wrote that ‘our position as born again children with a loving Father
should make us confident and bold in our praying.’ By calling on our Heavenly
Father, we can do so with confidence that He will not only hear us, but He will
answer us. So, the next time you pray The Lord’s Prayer and each and every time
you pray, I hope you will have better understanding of what Jesus was teaching
us when He answered His disciples’ call to teach them. He is also teaching us
today. We are to use this pattern of prayer every time we pray to our Father.
Acknowledge His power and majesty, thank Him for watching over you and helping
you in every area of your life. Make your requests known to Him with confidence
that He will answer you in accordance with His will and in the exact way that
will benefit you the most. Be patient, know that sometimes He says yes,
sometimes He says no, sometimes He says, not that but this instead, and
sometimes He smiles and says, you’ve got to be kidding me.
As you leave this place today, God our Father bless and keep you. May He shine
His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.
Sunday March 12th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
HOW JESUS WALKED
1 John 2:6; John 4:1-26
I’ve have told you many times to use Jesus as your example for how you live your
life. He is also the example to look to for how to witness to others. So, let’s
close the lessons about witnessing by looking at how Jesus witnessed. First
John 2:6 tells us that whoever claims to live in Him [meaning Jesus] must
live as He did. In today’s world hoping to win others to their causes, people
sometimes invoke the name of Jesus in their environmental and social justice
activism. This is not witnessing. And quite honestly, I don’t believe if Jesus
were here today that He would champion driving electric cars to save the planet
or if He would support not holding criminals responsible for breaking laws in
order to bring about social justice. What I do believe is that He wouldn’t much
care about that. Why? When He was asked about Roman money and the requirement to
pay taxes, His response was to give Caesar what was Caesar’s. In today’s
circumstances, the Government is the Government and if they need taxes to run it
and you want the benefits it offers, pay your taxes. Jesus’ purpose on earth was
to save the souls of people. It wasn’t to protect the environment or to reform
government laws and policies. And He surely didn’t engage in virtue-signaling to
satisfy His ego. I will tell you this: when you love God, it’s natural to be
good stewards of His creation, doing the best you can and do it without being
full of pride by looking for credit from those around you.
We do know Jesus walked wherever He went. He didn’t amass a herd of horses so He
and His disciples could ride from place to place preaching. He rode an unbroken
donkey into Jerusalem, and He will be riding a white horse when He returns to
earth to set up His Kingdom. His concern when He was here and continues to be
until He returns, is the spiritual salvation of all the people of this world.
Today our primary text comes from John 4:1-26.
Verses 1-6 show us that the walk of Jesus, or how He lived, was a walk of
caring. Through the Holy Spirit at this particular time, He needed a get to a
city called Sychar in Samaria, which today is known as the ancient city of
Shechem. Normally Jews would avoid Samaria because they weren’t on good terms
with the Samaritans and had little to no dealings with them. Jews would bypass
Samaria when they traveled. Nevertheless, Jesus was called to go there and when
He arrived, He was tired and rested by a well. We go on to learn in verse 7 that
He went out of His way to meet a woman that He knew was troubled. We see that He
cared about her life. Ever notice that when people realize that we care about
them, they tend to see that we’re different. 1
Corinthians 13:1 tells us, “Though I speak with the tongues of men
and of Angels, and have not charity (or love), I am become as a sounding brass
or a tinkling cymbal.” Exercising care and compassion for others is important
for us as Christians. It’s often what sets us apart from those who don’t know
Christ. So, approaching people in a loving and compassionate manner gives us
better opportunities to witness to those whom God places in our path. He does
this when He knows we care.
In verses 7-15 of John 4 we learn that Jesus’ walk was a burden-bearing
walk. What does that mean? He was sensitive to and took on the burdens of those
with whom He came in contact so that He could take away those burdens. When a
woman from Samaria approached the well to draw water, Jesus asked her for a
drink. The woman was taken aback by this request and asked Him why a Jew would
ask her for a drink. His response in verse 10: “…If you knew the gift of God,
and Who it is Who says to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked of Him,
and He would have given you Living Water.” This was the conversation opener that
would lead to her salvation.
Like Jesus, we need to find a conversation opener when we witness to others.
With the woman at the well, He met her on common ground. She came to draw water.
He asked for water to satisfy His physical thirst while He, in turn, offered her
the living water of salvation that will forever satisfy her spiritual thirst.
Water was a means to tell her of God’s living water. Reminding her of thirst
enabled Jesus to help her see her need. He went on to explain to her that while
the water from the well would satisfy physical thirst for a short time, the
water that He was offering will cause her to never thirst again. He’s speaking
of eternal salvation and everlasting life. She listened to what Jesus was
telling her because she asked Him for this water in verse 15 so she would
never have to draw from the well again. So just like Jesus, start by meeting
people in their comfort zone and talk about something you have in common.
In verses 16-19 we go on to learn about her domestic and spiritual life
when He asked her to call her husband and she tells Him she has no husband.
Next, we see Jesus taking the time to kindly point out her problem and then
gives her a solution. Jesus tells her He knows she has had five husbands and was
currently living with a man who was not her husband. This surely shocked her,
considering that they were strangers. We learn in verse 19 that she knows about
God and thinks Jesus must be a prophet. The Samaritans of this day also
worshiped five pagan gods which Jesus pointed out contributed to her problems.
Many people think they are too lost for the grace of God and the salvation
offered through Jesus Christ. But we can show them that it’s not true.
We see how Jesus did this in verses 20-26. The women told Jesus that she
believed that the Messiah was coming and spoke about how the Jews worshiped in
Jerusalem but Samaritans couldn’t do that even if they wanted to. Here is what
Jesus said to her: “ (21)…Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you
will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. (22)
You worship what you do not know [meaning their pagan gods]; we know what we
worship, for salvation is of the Jews. (23) But the hour is coming, and
now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (23) God is Spirit, and
those who worship Him must worship in sprit and truth.” Finally, in verse 26
we see Jesus tell her that He is in fact the Messiah that she has been waiting
for and told her that she could have eternal life. The Jews are God’s chosen
people, but as Jesus confirms here, God’s love and salvation are available to
everyone who chooses to trust Him.
We can show people that they can have their sins forgiven and have peace and
eternal life through what Jesus did at the cross. Just love them, find common
ground, relate how circumstances of their life can change, and how they can be
forgiven through faith, belief, and trust in Jesus. Share your own experiences
of how, where, and why your faith has been confirmed and perhaps how you made it
through the most difficult of times in your own life. Tell them how you may have
been blown away from answers to prayers.
We don’t have to get all religious on them. Tell them all that’s required is to
take a leap of faith and open their heart to allow Jesus to come in and change
them. Isn’t that what you did when you accepted Jesus as your Savior? By taking
that same leap everyone can experience the peace that passes all understanding.
Jesus still wants thirsty people to come to Him and have their thirst satisfied
as only He can do. We can help them. It all begins with courage, faith, and the
willingness to love people enough to show them how their life can be enriched by
following a God who loves them so much that He prepared a way through Jesus
Christ for them to have eternal life. Don’t be afraid. Let the Holy Spirit and
your own personal experiences guide you as you meet those in desperate need of
salvation. The words will come when you need them. Trust Jesus, follow His
example, and lean on Him to help you in your efforts.
As you leave this place, may the Lord bless and keep you. May He shine His light
on you, show you grace, and give you peace in the days ahead.
Sunday March 5th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
GETTING PEACE ABOUT
WITNESSING
Philippians 4:6-9
Last week I shared ways we can reduce our fear of witnessing, mainly focusing on
how to use and depend upon the Holy Spirit to help us.
This morning I would like to share more about how we can reduce our fear of
witnessing by relying on the inner peace we can get from God and then use that
peace to be faithful and effective witnesses. Fear is real and it’s an enemy to
us all. It’s what keeps a lot of people from salvation because they’re afraid
that they’re not good enough for God to love them, perhaps believing their sins
are too serious to be forgiven. And many are afraid of how the public will
perceive them if they were to become a Christian. Fear also keeps many believers
from witnessing because they’re afraid to tell others about Jesus and how He
changed their lives. And as I told you last week, many shy away from witnessing
because of a lack of in depth Bible knowledge. Many are also afraid to invite
others to church. But, not only is it possible, it’s also critical that we
replace our fears with faith in order to become effective witnesses for Christ.
This morning our text is from Philippians 4:6-9
where Paul writes:
“ (6) Be careful [in other words don’t worry] for nothing but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God which passes all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (8)
Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if
there be any praise, think on these things. (9) Those things, which you
have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the peace of
God shall be with you.”
The place to begin to reduce fear when preparing how to witness is to first pray
about it. We have no problem praying about health and financial problems, family
issues, church needs and even our country and local government leaders. Have you
personally prayed about being an effective witness for Jesus? It’s so important
that we do include our task of witnessing in our prayers. We must pray that God
will lead us to those who need His message. Have you ever asked Him to do that?
If not, you must. Then ask Him to give you, through the Holy Spirit, the right
words to show them how much God loves them and wants a relationship with them.
Pray that those to whom you are called to witness to will be saved by the work
of Jesus on the cross.
The effectiveness of our witnessing begins with a plan. Verses 6 and 7 of
our text lay out a great plan. Paul says be anxious for nothing, pray about
everything, and thank God for His blessings. It’s OK and even necessary to have
a plan for how to witness. By all appearances, I think it’s safe to say that God
is one who is organized and plans. Consider creation of both the earth and man.
His greatest plan of all is how sinners can have eternal salvation. If planning
is good for God, it’s good for us, especially as we exercise our mandate to
witness. By the way, this plan isn’t only great for witnessing, but also for
living our lives every single day.
So where do we start? First we pray for God’s guidance. Then we call on the Holy
Spirit to help us to be to alert to the needs of those we meet so that when we
sense that someone is hurting or lost and needs guidance to help them, we can
confidently approach them with care and compassion using the right words to
offer help and guidance. Share your own testimony how God helped you out of the
same or similar circumstances. Point them to the Bible and how you found comfort
in the words found there and tell them to let their heart be open to what God
has to offer to them. Share what you personally experienced by opening your
heart to God and how your life has changed since you let Jesus come into your
heart.
Paul says in verse 8 to ‘think on these things.’ He doesn’t tell us to
worry. Imagine never being anxious (or worrying) about anything. It seems
impossible, doesn’t it? Everyone worries about work, things at home, and kids
I’m sure you worry about tests, teachers, even and friendships school. Parents
worry about the kids: are they instilling the right values in them, how they
will pay for college. But Paul tells us to turn our worries into prayers. If you
want to worry less, the only answer is to pray more. Whenever you find yourself
starting to worry, stop and pray about it. Then, when you have turned your worry
over to God in prayer, do not continue to worry. Leave it with Him, trust Him to
take care of it, and take time to listen to what God has to say to you. And
don’t forget to thank Him for all the good work He has already done for you.
When we learn to stop worrying and pray instead, we become more positive in our
witnessing work. We become confident that we can expect results from God
especially when we realize that people need us to witness to them. God helps us
because He knows more than we will ever understand that lost and hurting people
need to know Jesus, that there are a lot of people that need the peace that only
He can give them, and that there are backsliders who for so many reasons, have
lost their faith and need to return to it.
Good intentions aren’t enough. We need to act. Studying the Bible is important
and necessary, but we also must share it. Paul tells us in verse 9 that
we must put what God is teaching us through His Word into practice. It’s easy to
listen to a sermon and easier still to forget what the preacher has said. It’s
easy to read the Bible and not think about how to use it to live differently.
It’s easy to debate what a passage means and not live out that meaning for the
world to see. That’s what a lazy Christian does. We have to stop being lazy. We
must listen to God’s Word with our hearts and our minds, then put it into action
in every aspect of our lives. When we do that, witnessing becomes easy.
Remember that Paul started out killing Christians. He met Jesus one day and went
on to become one of the greatest messengers for Christ the world has known. The
more we witness, the more confident we become, and we find the fears we have
will fade away. Seeing God’s hand in you efforts, and seeing your confidence
increase, your fear will fade away. Living the plan you make for witnessing will
bring results that will glorify God. And witnessing will ultimately bring you
peace that only God can provide.
So, pray for guidance, listen for God’s response, be alert to those in need
around you, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in work, , trust that God will give
you results, be confident, and don’t be afraid, Think on the things that you
learn from God, Jesus, and your Bible, then confidently and boldly go out and
tell others what Jesus has done for you and how He can do the same for them.
As you leave this place today, may the Lord bless and keep you; may He shine His
light on you, show you grace, and give you peace that passes all understanding
today and in the days ahead.
Sunday February 26th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
QUESTIONS TO QUELL THE
FEAR OF WITNESSING
Acts 1:4-11
As Christians, one of our most important tasks is to witness to others about
Jesus. What does that mean? Simply that we are to tell others what Jesus has
done for us and offer them the opportunity to know Him personally as their
Savior. Sounds like it should be easy but the truth is it’s probably the thing
that many of us are very afraid to do. Today and in the weeks ahead, I would
like to share things to help remove your fears and give you confidence to carry
out the important task of witnessing in the name of Jesus Christ.
Our text this morning is from Acts. To set the stage, this is the last
conversation Jesus had with His disciples before He returned to Heaven. Luke
writes in chapter 1:4-11: “ (4) And being assembled together with
them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for
the promise of the Father, which, said He, you have heard of Me. (5) For
John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit
not many days hence. (6) When they therefore were come together, they
asked of Him saying, Lord, will You at this time restore again the Kingdom to
Israel? (7) And He said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or
the seasons, which the Father has put in His Own power. (8) But you shall
receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost part of the earth. (9) And when He had spoken these things
while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
(10) And while they looked steadfastly toward Heaven as He went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; (11) which also said, You
men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, which
is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen
Him go into Heaven.”
This event was the last time the disciples were with Jesus before He ascended to
Heaven. Before His departure He told them that they were to witness to the world
about Him. This work was to take place after they received the Promise of the
Father which would give them the courage to witness and perform miracles just as
Jesus did. This promise was the coming of the Holy Spirit. Here’s the thing that
many of today’s Christians don’t fully understand: We have that same charge – to
witness to others about Jesus. Attending church regularly is important to
strengthen our faith and to fellowship with other believers. But it doesn’t end
there. We have to take our faith outside of the church. And if we’re honest,
that scares the daylights out of most of us. Why? Because we’re afraid of
rejection, being thought of as crazy, and our lack of knowledge should we be
asked questions.
Remember the disciples were eyewitnesses to all that happened to Jesus: His
ministry and miracles, His crucifixion, His resurrection, and His ascension.
While they knew the scriptures well, He taught them more about the kingdom of
God than they ever thought possible. Even so, His death caused them to scatter
out of fear that they would be next. But when you consider the changes made in
their lives after the resurrection and ascension, they became fearless and
risked everything to spread the good news about Jesus around the world. Yes,
they faced prison, beatings, rejection, and martyrdom yet they never compromised
their mission to spread His message. It begs the question why would they risk
their lives for something that was a fraud? They knew Jesus was alive. Their
message to the world was so strong that it still survives 2,000 years and
counting. Throughout history there have been many attempts to discredit Jesus,
but none have succeeded. This should give us confidence in our faith and
testimony and give us courage to tell others what Jesus can do for them even
though so many people still doubt what we know to be true about Him.
In Jesus’ last moments on earth, we see in verse 6 that His disciples were still
asking Him when Israel would be restored. His response in verse 7 was it was not
for them to know the time or seasons the Father has put in His Own Power. He
also promised them in verse 8 that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit
which we find happened in Acts 2.
Jesus coming in human form inaugurated the Kingdom of God on earth. While here
He taught about the love of the Father, and He died on the cross to pay for the
sins of all who chose to accept and believe in Him. He rose from the dead, and
when He returned to Heaven 40 days later, it allowed God’s kingdom to take root
in the hearts of all believers through the presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s the
Holy Spirit that gives us to ability to witness to others about things we have
not personally seen. It’s what gives us courage, boldness, confidence, insight,
ability, and authority. We should never attempt to witness without calling on
the Holy Spirit to help and guide us as we tell someone about the love of Jesus.
If asked when Jesus will return, tell them that no man, angel, or Jesus Himself
know the time of His return. That is why those who have tried to predict the
date have failed. What we do know is that it is time to witness and try to win
souls to Christ and that each day that passes brings us closer to His return.
The Holy Spirit spoken of in verse 8 came to each of the disciples and
many others on the day of Pentecost, and that same Spirit is still here today
for each of us. Every Sunday we open our service singing about the Holy Spirit.
That’s not an accident. It’s to remind us that we’re to rely on the Holy Spirit
to get us through every day of our life, help us live for Jesus, and give us the
courage to share His message through witnessing. There is a lot of evidence
today that people are searching for God. There was the two-week revival service
in Tennessee and though ended, has since spread to other universities. People
are hungry all over for the message of Jesus. We are to share it. Let the Holy
Spirit prepare you hearts for witnessing, and I promise He will provide the
words for you to use. As long as we rely on the Holy Spirit, we have nothing to
fear!
Why do we have to do this? Because the One who endured the cross for us, rose
from the grave for us, cried tears for us, has unending compassion for us, and
is coming again for us, told us we are to do this. It’s more important than ever
as evidence that we are approaching the end of times is piling up around us.
People are afraid for their lives because of the lawlessness of officials in
charge who allow criminals to run free without fear of consequences. The norms
of life are being overtaken with ideas that make no sense to the normal person.
Evil is growing unchecked. Because of this and what we know about Jesus, we
should be more afraid if we don’t witness than how we will be received if we do.
God has important work for us to do for Him, but we can only do it with the
power of the Holy Spirit. We need God’s timing and power to be effective in this
work. We tend to take matters into our own hands and run ahead of God. But
waiting is sometimes part of God’s plan. So, instead of running ahead of God and
His plans, wait and listen for His instructions through the Holy Spirit.
It’s time we exchanged our fear for faith. Use the power of the Holy Spirit in
obedience to Jesus’ command to His followers to tell others that there is a
better way. It’s not going to be easy at first but each time you share the good
news of Jesus, it will get easier. Trust the Savior to guide you and help you
through the Holy Spirit. Let others know the inner peace that only can be found
with trust in Jesus through the grace of God. Jesus will return to this earth
one day and by using the gifts given to us to spread the gospel so that others
will be able to share His love, will ensure that we will be ready to partake in
the glorious return of our Savior.
As you leave this place today, I pray that the Lord will bless and keep you;
that He will shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace that
passes all understanding in the days ahead.
Sunday February 5th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
GETTING PEACE ABOUT
WITNESSINGG
Philippians 4:6-9
Last week I shared ways we can reduce our fear of witnessing, mainly focusing on
how to use and depend upon the Holy Spirit to help us.
This morning I would like to share more about how we can reduce our fear of
witnessing by relying on the inner peace we can get from God and then use that
peace to be faithful and effective witnesses. Fear is real and it’s an enemy to
us all. It’s what keeps a lot of people from salvation because they’re afraid
that they’re not good enough for God to love them, perhaps believing their sins
are too serious to be forgiven. And many are afraid of how the public will
perceive them if they were to become a Christian. Fear also keeps many believers
from witnessing because they’re afraid to tell others about Jesus and how He
changed their lives. And as I told you last week, many shy away from witnessing
because of a lack of in depth Bible knowledge. Many are also afraid to invite
others to church. But, not only is it possible, it’s also critical that we
replace our fears with faith in order to become effective witnesses for Christ.
This morning our text is from Philippians 4:6-9
where Paul writes:
“ (6) Be careful [in other words don’t worry] for nothing but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God which passes all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (8)
Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if
there be any praise, think on these things. (9) Those things, which you
have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the peace of
God shall be with you.”
The place to begin to reduce fear when preparing how to witness is to first pray
about it. We have no problem praying about health and financial problems, family
issues, church needs and even our country and local government leaders. Have you
personally prayed about being an effective witness for Jesus? It’s so important
that we do include our task of witnessing in our prayers. We must pray that God
will lead us to those who need His message. Have you ever asked Him to do that?
If not, you must. Then ask Him to give you, through the Holy Spirit, the right
words to show them how much God loves them and wants a relationship with them.
Pray that those to whom you are called to witness to will be saved by the work
of Jesus on the cross.
The effectiveness of our witnessing begins with a plan. Verses 6 and 7 of
our text lay out a great plan. Paul says be anxious for nothing, pray about
everything, and thank God for His blessings. It’s OK and even necessary to have
a plan for how to witness. By all appearances, I think it’s safe to say that God
is one who is organized and plans. Consider creation of both the earth and man.
His greatest plan of all is how sinners can have eternal salvation. If planning
is good for God, it’s good for us, especially as we exercise our mandate to
witness. By the way, this plan isn’t only great for witnessing, but also for
living our lives every single day.
So where do we start? First we pray for God’s guidance. Then we call on the Holy
Spirit to help us to be to alert to the needs of those we meet so that when we
sense that someone is hurting or lost and needs guidance to help them, we can
confidently approach them with care and compassion using the right words to
offer help and guidance. Share your own testimony how God helped you out of the
same or similar circumstances. Point them to the Bible and how you found comfort
in the words found there and tell them to let their heart be open to what God
has to offer to them. Share what you personally experienced by opening your
heart to God and how your life has changed since you let Jesus come into your
heart.
Paul says in verse 8 to ‘think on these things.’ He doesn’t tell us to
worry. Imagine never being anxious (or worrying) about anything. It seems
impossible, doesn’t it? Everyone worries about work, things at home, and kids
I’m sure you worry about tests, teachers, even and friendships school. Parents
worry about the kids: are they instilling the right values in them, how they
will pay for college. But Paul tells us to turn our worries into prayers. If you
want to worry less, the only answer is to pray more. Whenever you find yourself
starting to worry, stop and pray about it. Then, when you have turned your worry
over to God in prayer, do not continue to worry. Leave it with Him, trust Him to
take care of it, and take time to listen to what God has to say to you. And
don’t forget to thank Him for all the good work He has already done for you.
When we learn to stop worrying and pray instead, we become more positive in our
witnessing work. We become confident that we can expect results from God
especially when we realize that people need us to witness to them. God helps us
because He knows more than we will ever understand that lost and hurting people
need to know Jesus, that there are a lot of people that need the peace that only
He can give them, and that there are backsliders who for so many reasons, have
lost their faith and need to return to it.
Good intentions aren’t enough. We need to act. Studying the Bible is important
and necessary, but we also must share it. Paul tells us in verse 9 that we must
put what God is teaching us through His Word into practice. It’s easy to listen
to a sermon and easier still to forget what the preacher has said. It’s easy to
read the Bible and not think about how to use it to live differently. It’s easy
to debate what a passage means and not live out that meaning for the world to
see. That’s what a lazy Christian does. We have to stop being lazy. We must
listen to God’s Word with our hearts and our minds, then put it into action in
every aspect of our lives. When we do that, witnessing becomes easy.
Remember that Paul started out killing Christians. He met Jesus one day and went
on to become one of the greatest messengers for Christ the world has known. The
more we witness, the more confident we become, and we find the fears we have
will fade away. Seeing God’s hand in you efforts, and seeing your confidence
increase, your fear will fade away. Living the plan you make for witnessing will
bring results that will glorify God. And witnessing will ultimately bring you
peace that only God can provide.
So, pray for guidance, listen for God’s response, be alert to those in need
around you, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in you work, , trust that God will
give you results, be confident, and don’t be afraid, Think on the things that
you learn from God, Jesus, and your Bible, then confidently and boldly go out
and tell others what Jesus has done for you and how He can do the same for them.
As you leave this place today, may the Lord bless and keep you; may He shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace that passes all understanding today and in the days ahead.
Sunday February 19th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
How to Thrive…Not
Just Survive
Philippians 4:4-8; Colossians
3:12-17
Even though we have faith, sometimes we get to a point where we lose hope and
feel as though we’re struggling and fighting to just survive each day. It’s safe
to say the pandemic and the issues related to that have caused financial and
emotional problems for many people and it’s hard for many to see a way past it
all. Well, the good news is there is always a way out and we can prepare
ourselves so the difficulties of life don’t prevent us from thriving instead of
just surviving. Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that He came so that we could not
only have life but have it more abundantly. What does He mean by an abundant
life? He specifically contrasted the life He wants to give us with the thief who
comes to steal and kill. He wants us to have a life with Him that’s rich and
satisfying because it’s eternal, and it’s more meaningful than life without Him
because of His overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance. Yes, we will have
storms that may drag us down and perhaps even cause us to question our faith.
But our Paul shows us five ways in which we can discipline ourselves to behave
in ways that will allow us to thrive and not just survive, especially when we
find ourselves stuck at a dead end with no clear pathway out.
The first three come from Philippians 4:4-8 where
Paul writes: “(4) Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, Rejoice.
(5) Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (6)
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace
of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus. (8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Verse 4 tells us we are to rejoice in the Lord always. But he doesn’t
mean for all things. Instead, we are to rejoice in all things. In other words,
no matter what circumstance you may find yourself in, always be thankful. Keep
in mind this is coming from a man who was writing from prison. Even though he
was locked up, Paul was able to take delight in the fact that he is a child of
God and that he has salvation because of Jesus Christ. As Christians, so do we!
We should not let our outward circumstances dictate our inner attitude. So, the
first discipline we must develop and grow is to be thankful. Thank God for
everything, and particularly the things that are normally taken for granted such
as waking up each day day, having a place to live and food to eat, the salvation
given salvation through Jesus Christ, and the privilege of prayer that helps to
overcome anger and allows the ability forgive others. When you allow yourself to
forgive others, no matter what they may have done, it lifts a tremendous weight
off of you and takes away all the power the transgressor had over you. It’s not
our job to take revenge on those who hurt us or treat us unfairly. It’s God’s.
Let Him do His work. It’s a proven fact that people who live a thankful life are
much happier.
The second discipline is found in verses 6 and 7 where Paul says we are
to pray expectantly, with thanksgiving, and without worry. We used to sing a
song in Sunday school that says “why worry when you can pray? Trust Jesus, He’ll
be your stay. Don’t be a doubting Thomas, rest fully on His promise, why worry
when you can pray.” We all have things that can cause us to worry. But Paul says
we must turn our worries into prayers. Never forget that God always answers our
prayers. Jeremiah tells us in 33:3, all we need do is call on the Lord
and He will answer and show us great and mighty things. James tells us in in
1:6-8 that we have a choice to believe and receive; or doubt and go without.
Which do you think is the better way? When you pray, listen to what God has to
say and always thank Him for all the good work He has done in your life, in the
Church, and in the world. Sometimes it’s hard to see God in the world but He is
there and He is in control. When we train ourselves to pray this way, we’re
promised the peace of God that passes all understanding. When you have God’s
peace, you can survive anything this world throws at you.
The third discipline found in verse 8 tells us that we should always speak
kindly. This is a hard one because it involves more than speech. How we use
speech is an outward reflection of what’s in our heart and mind which then comes
out in our words, actions, and desires. It’s easier to speak kindly with someone
when we thing positively about them, focusing on their good traits rather than
their faults. Focusing on their negative qualities will make it just about
impossible to speak to them kindly. As Christians, we’re to fill our hearts and
minds with things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, admirable,
excellent, and praiseworthy. Examine what you’re absorbing from movies, books,
conversations, TV, radio, video games, newspapers, magazines, music, and the
internet. And, always look at the example that Jesus gave us when He walked this
earth as a man. Remove everything that hurts your relationship with God, Jesus,
and other people. As you strengthen this discipline, you will find that it takes
less of your energy to be kind.
The next two disciplines – to forgive quickly and to live worshipfully -- are
found in Colossians 3:12-17 where Paul
writes: “ (12)Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
(13) forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a
quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. (14) And
above all these things put on charity [love] which is the bond of perfectness.
(15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you
are called in one body [the church]; and be ye thankful. (16) Let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
hearts to the Lord. (17) And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in
the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.” Here
Paul is telling Christians to live for God day by day, to imitate Christ’s
compassionate, forgiving attitude, to let love guide our life, to let the peace
of Christ rule in our heart, to always be thankful, to keep God’s word in our
heart at all times, and to live as Jesus Christ’s representative.
The ability to forgive quickly begins by remembering how much God has forgiven
us. If it’s difficult to forgive someone who has wronged you then focus on God’s
infinite love and forgiveness you have received to help you love and forgive
others. God sacrificed His Son so each one of us can be forgiven. Let God worry
about the wrongs you have suffered. Don’t waste your energy in bitter fighting
and holding on to grudges. Instead, live renewed in the love and joy of Jesus.
Christians are told to live in peace. This doesn’t mean that suddenly all
differences of opinion are eliminated, but it does require that Christians
lovingly work together with others despite their differences. This kind of love
isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision each must make in order to meet the needs of
others. Paul opened the passage with the words ‘put on.’ He is saying we are to
prepare ourselves ato live in love that leads to peace between individuals. If
problems in our relationships with others result in conflicts or uncomfortable
silence, consider what you can do to heal those relationships with love.
Approach every aspect of life through the love of God. Don’t separate the sacred
and the secular. Sure it’s easy to live these behaviors in church, but it’s
often difficult when you’re out in the world. But if you do everything in the
name of the Lord Jesus, it will become second nature.
So to summarize, in order to thrive and not just survive no matter what
circumstances we find ourselves in, we must discipline ourselves to live
thankfully, pray expectantly, speak kindly, forgive quickly, and live
worshipfully. These are life skills that can be used in every aspect of our
lives. By working hard with the help of Jesus to develop, I promise that not
only will you survive until you get to Heaven, you will be amazed how you will
thrive. Each day of your life you will have the opportunity to grow, develop,
and succeed in ways you could not have imagined. And you will experience the
peace of God that passes all understanding.
Sunday February 12th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Why Christians Have
Trials
1 Peter 1:6-9
Our faith in God brings us a lot of joy and comfort. It’s what allows us to
recognize and receive blessings from God. Peter tells us in 1
Peter 1:3 that we have a lot for which to
praise God. He has given us living hope in the person of Jesus Christ, come to
earth in the form of man in order that we may freely receive salvation from our
sins. Because of that, Peter tells us in verses 4 and 5 that through our
faith, we now have a lasting inheritance; meaning that we are equal heirs to all
of heaven alongside Jesus. But no matter how strong our faith may be and because
we live in a fallen world there will be times when we will be discouraged, and
our faith will be tested.
Our text is from 1 Peter 1:6-9 where Peter writes: “(6) Wherein
you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness
through manifold temptations; (7) that the trial of your faith brings
much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
(8) Whom, having not seen, you love; in Whom, though now you see Him not,
yet believing you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; (9)
receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
When Peter writes of ‘heaviness through manifold temptations’ in verse 6,
he’s warning us that while we will experience joy and untold blessings from God,
there will also be trouble in our lives that we should not only expect but
prepare for it. He’s showing us that all believers face trouble and trials when
they let the light of Jesus shine into the darkness of this fallen world. He
shows us in verse 7 that the trouble we encounter is part of the refining
process that burns away impurities and prepares us to meet Christ. When gold is
heated, impurities float to the top and are skimmed off. In the same manner our
trails, struggles, and persecutions refine us by burning away sinful impurities.
This works to make our faith pure and stronger so that we can be more useful to
God.
Instead of asking ‘why me,’ our faith allows us react to suffering with a new
set of responses. Our faith gives us the ability to respond with confidence that
God knows, plans, and directs our lives for our good and His glory. Our faith
shows us God always proves His love and strength for us and leads us toward a
better future. Our faith gives us the ability to persevere when facing grief,
anger, sorrow, and pain. Our faith allows us to express our grief, but not give
in to the bitterness and despair that we often see in nonbelievers. Our faith
gives us courage because with Jesus as Savior and always by our side, we don’t
have to be afraid of the problems we encounter. He who suffered for us will
never abandon us in our time of suffering. Jesus Christ carries us through
everything!
Early Christians were persecuted because they refused to worship the Roman
emperor as a god so they were viewed as traitors. They wouldn’t worship at pagan
temples that were also moneymaking enterprises which hurt the finances of the
empire. Rome scorned the Christian ideal of self-sacrificing service and
Christians exposed and rejected the immorality of the pagan culture.
While there’s no Roman empire to deal with today, we still have to deal with the
evil in this world guided and directed by Satan against all people who have
faith in God. As such, Christians still are being persecuted for their beliefs.
We’re often looked at as strange and naïve, then mocked because we believe in
something that can’t be seen. We stay away of worldly things that bring dishonor
to God and Jesus. We’re often misunderstood when we live out our Christian
values of love and forgiveness especially toward those who hurt us. Even
attending church is a reason for mocking and tormenting.
It’s easy to have faith in something that we can see or personally experience.
We have faith that the light will go on when we flip the switch not because we
completely understand the electrical properties that make it happen, but because
we have experienced time and time again that the light does go on. Peter is
showing us that because we haven’t seen and experienced face-to-face encounters
with Jesus, it’s our faith that He is indeed real and alive that gives us
eternal salvation and the promise of the day when the trouble and pain we
experience in the earthly life as a Christian will come to an end. That’s when
our faith will be richly rewarded, and evil will be punished and removed by the
perfect justice of God our Father.
Until that time we are to faithfully serve God. If that means resolving
conflicts, mending hurts, working a dull job, confronting a belligerent child,
rebuilding relationships, or waiting for guidance from God, we must do it all
with the joy and praise to God, knowing that He will help us and return His Son
Jesus to this world with all of the rewards promised to those who are faithful
and especially to those who remain faithful without the benefit of having
personally seen Jesus.
Sometimes new Christians think they will be immune from problems in their lives.
This is not the case. Christians will have to face trouble as long as they live
in this world. In John 16:33 Jesus tells us “These things I have spoken
unto you, that in Me you might have peace…In the world you shall have
tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” We all will have
sickness, relationship and financial problems. Christian parents have difficult
issues with their children and Christian workers will have problems with bosses
who are hard to please. The testing we endure will at times cause us to become
discouraged. But, in spite of the inevitable struggles we experience, remember
that we are not alone. Jesus doesn’t abandon us to struggle alone. The ultimate
victory has already been won and we can claim the peace of Christ in the most
troubling of times. The struggles we experience are temporary. We are promised
so much more in a future that will last for all eternity. There will come a time
when there will be no more tears, pain, sorrow, or struggle.
Peter writes with authority. Remember Jesus told him of His coming death on the
Cross and that Peter will deny knowing Him three times. Yet, Peter overcame that
the test of faith. He helped build the Christian church we know today and yet
was still persecuted and ultimately killed for his faith. The great apostle Paul
was persecuted, stoned, and imprisoned for his faith. Stephen and James were
persecuted and killed for their faith. Throughout the centuries, Christians have
experienced trials. When you find yourself suffering for your faith, you’re in
good company. If you aren’t, perhaps Satan already has you under his control.
Think about that and make needed changes.
All who suffer trails because of their faith in Christ are being perfected by
God. The return of Jesus will reveal to us that our faith is real. Our victories
through our faith bring glory and praise to Jesus. Never forget that trials on
earth are temporary, and our rewards will be eternal. The Savior we have yet to
see face to face has promised that as we go through earthly trials, He will
never leave us or give up on us as we are told in
Hebrew 13:5. And we are promised in 2
Corinthians 12:9 that His grace is sufficient for us for His strength
is made perfect in weakness. As long as we depend on Him when we are suffering,
we will get through it by drawing on our faith.
So, we can and should thank God for the trials we go through because through
faith, they bring us close to Him and our faith will grow stronger. Lean on your
faith even when it seems there’s no way out. Trust in Him and He will guide you
out of the darkness you will experience.
May God continue to bless you and may you have the courage to keep your faith
strong, especially through the trails you will face until we see Christ.
Sunday February 5th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
Communion – Until He
Comes
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Today is Communion Sunday and this means we will again commemorate the death of
Jesus Christ, Messiah, and Son of God. I thought it would be a good time to take
some time to talk about why we do this and why it is so important. We know that
Jesus died, rose from the grave and is coming again. We know He is coming again
because Jesus Himself told us in John 14:1-3.
Also, in Acts 1:11 the angel of the Lord told the disciples that Jesus would
return in the same manner as He went into Heaven. Then in
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Paul tells us of the Rapture and how we will
be united with Jesus. Until that time we are to live in His light. That means we
can take comfort in His promises about the future and then go spread His message
of God’s love, peace, and joy until that happens. But what does all this have to
do with communion and remembering His death?
Let’s read our text in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26:
“ (23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto
you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
(24) And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, take, eat, this is
My body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me. (25) After
the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, this cup is
the new testament in my blood; this do you, as oft as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me. (26) For as often as you eat this bread, and drink
this cup, you do show the Lord’s death till He come.” Jesus instituted this
memorial at the last Passover that He shared with His disciples and instructed
them to remember often until His return. As a result, throughout the centuries,
Christians have continued to conduct the memorial. Some churches do it every
Sunday, some monthly, some yearly. How often it’s don isn’t the key point. The
point is that it is done so His death is remembered.
The communion memorial remembers the death of Jesus where His body was broken
and His blood shed on the cross. It’s also a time for us to rededicate our lives
to following Jesus, to take stock and forgive those who may have done us wrong,
and to obey God regardless of the conditions under which we must live. It’s an
opportunity for us to reflect on what communions means to us personally and
really think about it because it will tell whether or not partaking of communion
isn’t just a faithless ritual and all we’re doing is going through the motions
without any sincere thoughts, actions or meaning. Then after remembering His
death, we’re to also remember and be comforted by His promise that He is coming
back for us. This gives us something to look forward to.
The message of the cross will endure until He returns to earth. As believers we
should never forget or take for granted the price that He paid so that we can be
partakers of the promise of Jesus’ return to rule this earth. While the times in
which we live will change, God’s message of salvation and eternal life is
timeless. It hasn’t changed from the time that the disciples shared the first
communion service, and will be the same until that day of His glorious return.
Until that happens, Christians everywhere are to share this message with all
sinners in the hope that they too will want to become sinners saved by grace.
Hebrews 9:11 shows us Jesus had to die because sins cannot be forgiven without
the shedding of blood. Before Jesus’s death, the blood of spotless lambs was
offered to forgive sins. John tells us in chapter 1 verse 29 that Jesus
is the spotless Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. No longer
must lambs be sacrificed to forgive sins and now even Gentiles can receive
forgiveness for their sins by accepting Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord.
Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 1:18-20 that
salvation can’t be bought with money or deeds. It’s only the blood of the
spotless Lamb of God that is the acceptable payment for the forgiveness of sins.
We have recently seen how John shows us in Revelation
1:5-7 that the cross is the theme of Heaven’s song so Jesus’ death
was an incredibly significant event to the citizens of Heaven.
1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us that the cross
shows the power of God because it was there that the total sin debt was paid,
giving the Holy Spirit, in Whom the power resides, the latitude to work mightily
within our lives. Verse 26 of our text tell us that the power of the
cross will change lives until Jesus’ return to earth again. This is why we have
been told that we are to remember His death until He returns. Partaking of
communion because it allows us to remember Christ’s death, reflect on our own
spiritual walk, and take solace that He will return. Both His death and His
return give us the incentive and power to live a holy life.
But remembering His death is more than taking the elements that represent His
body and blood. It’s a loving act on our part that celebrates His enduring love
for us. It reminds us to give thanks for His grace shown to us on the cross.
It’s thanking and praising God for sacrificing His only Son so that we can have
eternal life. And it rejoicing in the salvation given to each of us at the
cross. So you see, it’s both a somber reminder of His sacrifice and a
celebration of our eternal salvation.
Communion is for all who have been born again and accept Jesus as Savior and
Lord of their life. It’s a time for self-examination and making things right
with God and other people. It’s a time to see if we must forgive others as we
have been forgiven. And it’s a time of thanksgiving for the precious gift of
salvation that has been given to all who accept Jesus. As we prepare ourselves
this morning, let’ take time to also prepare our hearts and minds to receive the
gift that Jesus feely gave to all sinners. Never forget that our salvation was
bought with the agony that Jesus suffered for our sin so that we can now have a
personal relationship with God and look forward to eternal life with Him and all
those who have gone before us.
Sunday January 29th, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
The Lord Trains His
Children
Hebrews 12:5-13
This morning I’d like to talk to you about how God trains His children. Have you
heard the word ‘chasten’ or chastise’? It means to inflect suffering upon
someone for the purposes of moral improvement; to discipline or correct behavior
by punishment. This is how God trains us and it happens to all Christians.
Typically, when someone hears the word, they immediately prepare for the sword
to drop. If it gets to that point, the target of the chastening is probably
expecting it. But the truth is, it’s not always a bad thing. Parents, how often
do you chastise your children in order to teach them a lesson and to correct
their behavior? As part of God’s family, we Christians will also be chastised by
God for things we have done wrong. But it doesn’t mean we’re going to be tossed
out of Heaven or have our salvation taken away. Our loving Father God is not an
executioner, nor does He break the promises He has made to us. He loves us just
as all earthly parents love their children, and when He finds the need to
chastise us, it’s always for our own good.
Our text comes from Paul’s letter to the Hebrews
12:5-13 which says: “(5) And you have forgotten the
exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not you the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of Him. (6) For
whom the lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.
(7) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son
is he whom the father chastens not? (8) But if you be without
chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons.
(9) Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we
gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father
in spirits, and live? (10) For they verily for a few days chastened us
after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of
His holiness. (11) Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous,
but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (12) Wherefore lift
up the hands which hand down, and the feeble knees; (13) and make
straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way;
but let it rather be healed.”
If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we don’t like being
corrected and disciplined, especially when it comes from God, but God’s
discipline shows His deep love for us. Chastisement from God may not be pretty
or fun, but we must understand that when it happens, it means God loves us. It
tells us we are His children and shows us that He loves us. Here’s something to
think about: God doesn’t waste His time guiding and teaching those who are
already lost. They are the ones who will one day face His wrath and judgment and
end up in hell. Being chastised by God puts us in pretty good company. King
David was chastised for his sin with Bathsheba, Jonah was chastised for his
disobedience to God. And the nation of Israel was chastised for their unbelief.
There are many more examples of God’s children be chastised throughout the
Bible.
Christians cannot sin and win. That said, there will be times that all
Christians will slip and fall. And when that happens, God may step in and
chastise us. Earthly parents who don’t chastise their children are negligent and
their children will grow up unruly and undisciplined. Because God loves each and
every one of us, He wants us to succeed and live a life centered on our Savior
Jesus. That’s why He disciplines us just as earthly parents discipline their
children. When you think about it in these terms it proves to us that we indeed
are His children. If God isn’t disciplining you, perhaps you aren’t really saved
because as I said earlier, God isn’t going to waste His time on those that are
lost to Him.
As children of God, we receive many benefits because we are now a part of God’s
family. Paul tells us in Romans 8:17 as part
of God’s family, we are also joint heirs with Jesus Christ. This means
everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to us through the cross. But it also
means there will be times when we will suffer. Historically many believers
suffered economic hardship and social persecution for their beliefs. Some were
martyred for their faith. We also must pay a price for choosing to follow Jesus.
In many places today, Christians face pressures and persecution just as severe
as those faced by the early Christians and even in this country Christians
increasingly are being attached and mocked for their faith. But Christians
everywhere must not become complacent. To live as Jesus did – serving others and
resisting pressure to confirm to the world – will always exact a price. Nothing
we suffer, however, can compare to the price that Jesus paid to save us.
Philippians 3:20 tells us that we are citizens
of heaven. As such, Christians are to promote heaven’s interests on earth and
lead lives worthy of our heavenly citizenship. Too many Christians have failed
to take the mantle of heavenly citizenship because they still seek earthly
pleasures and treasures instead of heavenly ones. Paul was telling the
Philippians then -- and us today -- to remember that we are citizens of heaven
where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. Failure to promote heaven’s interests could
result in chastisement from God. Jesus tells us in John
5:24, as children of God we now have eternal life. This means the
moment we accept Jesus as our Savior our new life begins. Then the rest of our
lives on earth will be better in so many ways even though there will be
hardships, because we are living in fellowship with the almighty Creator who
loves us. And while we may face physical death one day, that will merely be a
transition from our earthly life to our heavenly life with God forever.
Verses 9-13 of our text show us our reactions to and the results of being
chastised by God. We won’t like it and we may find it temporarily painful. But
remember that chastening is done for our good. Many parents have said
disciplining their children hurts them more than the child. I have no doubts
that God feels the same way. When we are chastised by God, we become partakers
of God’s holiness. So, it’s incumbent on each of us to accept the punishment,
ask for forgiveness of our sins and to learn the lesson He is teaching. God does
this because He is training us for fruitful service to Him.
I encourage you to examine your life and see if you can identify instances where
you have been chastened by God for things you did or perhaps didn’t do. If there
was a time you hit a major bump in the road, perhaps that was God disciplining
you. Ask yourself if you learned from it, if you benefited from it, and did you
remember to thank God for it. If things aren’t quite right in your life right
now, perhaps God is chastening you. If that’s the case, don’t let Him do it in
vain. Then, as verse 13 of our text tells us, make the needed changes in
your life now so you can return to serving Him as His word teaches you so that
you can have a right relationship with Him.
Living a Christian life is never going to be easy. There are always going to be
competing forces from Satan trying to pull us away from God. Our challenge is to
remain committed to our faith, trust God, and lean on Jesus to help us get
through each day and every circumstance that we encounter in order to remain
true to God.
May God watch over you and may you look to Jesus to keep you on the right path
as a citizen of heaven toward eternal life.
Sunday January 22nd, 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
No Faith, No Future
Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6
As Christians we put a huge emphasis on faith. But what is faith? It’s the
confidence based on past experience that God’s new and fresh surprises will most
certainly be ours. Our Bible tells us we must have faith. Why is faith so
important? Because we are part of a fallen world that is ruled by Satan and we
rely on things that happened when we weren’t around to see them. Paul tells us
in Hebrews 11:1 that “Faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Our anticipation for the
fulfillment of God’s promises is dependent on things that we haven’t seen. The
simple truth is that we can’t be a Christian without faith and without faith, we
have no future. The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the basis
of our faith but no one on this earth today was there to see it actually happen.
As Christians, we accept it because of our faith in the Word of God. Our faith
includes a lot of promises from God such as eternal life and reunification with
loved ones who have gone on before us. This morning I’d like to share with you
how Abram’s faith affected his life in the hope we can all adopt the strength of
faith that Abram showed.
The first part of our text comes from Genesis 12:1-3
which say: “(1) Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out
of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, unto a
land that I will show you; (2) and I will make of you a great nation, and
I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. (3)
And I will bless them who bless you and curse him who curses you; and in you
shall all families of the earth be blessed.” When God called Abram to leave his
home in Ur and make his way to eventually settle in Canaan, He established a
covenant that allowed him to be the start of a great nation what would be
blessed and that other nations of the earth would be blessed through Abram’s
descendants. The people of Israel, the nation that would come from Abram, were
to follow God and influence those with whom they came in contact. But the
greatest blessing that came from this covenant is that through Abram’s family
tree, Jesus Christ was born to save all of humanity. Through Christ, people can
have a personal relationship with God and be blessed beyond measure. Lucky for
us, Abram accepted all that was offered By God. Paul tells us in Galatians
3:16 that God promised Abram a seed and this blessed seed became Jesus
Christ.
God’s covenant with Abram shows us God cares about families and that our faith
affects our families. Abram was to leave his home in Ur to go where God was to
send him. Abram was to be a blessing to all families of the earth. This is a
reinforcement of God’s interest in families and the importance of families to
believers. Recall how God called Noah and his family to the safety of the Ark in
Genesis 7:1. We read in Acts 16:31
when Paul and Silas were imprisoned that the Philippian jailer was offered
salvation for him and his family.
The second part of our text is found in Genesis 15:1-6
which reads: “(1) After these things the Word of the Lord came
unto Abram in a vision saying: Fear not Abram, I am your shield and your
exceeding great reward. (2) And Abram said, Lord God what will you give
me seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of
Damascus? (3) And Abram said: behold to me You have given no seed and lo,
one born in my house is my heir? (4) And behold the Word of the Lord came
unto him saying: This shall not be your heir but he who shall come forth out of
your own bowels shall be your heir. (5) And He [God] brought him forth
abroad, and said: Look now toward Heaven, and tell the stars, if you be able to
number them; and He [God] said unto him, so shall your seed be. (6) And
he believed in the Lord; and He [God] counted it to him for righteousness.”
Remember, Abram and his wife were well beyond the childbearing years and never
had children of their own so as we see in verse 3, Abram struggled with
the part of the covenant about having a family. Then in verses 4-5 we’re
shown how our faith affects our futures. Because he was childless Abram thought
that perhaps his house stewart would be his heir because the man was born there,
but God had other plans. He told Abram that his seed will be as many as the
stars in the heavens and so it is. Then we see in verse 6 how Abram chose
to believe God’s promises about his future and how God then counted him as
righteous. And we know God kept his promise to give them a son in spite of their
advanced age. They Isaac brought Isaac into this world.
This passage is an extremely important Scripture as we see that by believing and
trusting in the Lord, we experience the meaning of ‘Justification by Faith.’
Abram was saved by grace through faith, not by his good works. There is no other
way of Salvation anywhere in the Bible. Believing in God doesn’t get you into
Heaven. God demands righteousness; however, it is the righteousness comes by
faith and acceptance of Christ and Christ alone. Anything else is
self-righteousness and completely unacceptable to God. Nonbelievers do good to
satisfy their own egos and no other reason. When the sinner believes God’s
testimony about His Beloved Son, the sinners are not only declared righteous,
they are also made children and heirs of the Living God. It’s our faith that
redeems us in the sight of God. Doing good or being good is not going to get
anyone to Heaven. It’s only faith and trust in Jesus and His sacrifice on the
cross that will accomplish that.
Our faith absolutely affects our future. If Abram didn’t have faith and refused
to accept what God was offering him, he wouldn’t have had the blessings from God
which included being a father, being taken to the promised land in Canaan,
becoming the patriarch to descendants who would be a blessing and numbered as
the stars, his name would become great and remembered (which it is!). This all
happened because of Abram’s faith in the promises of God. And you know what?
Abram’s God is also our God.
We see in verse 6 that it was faith that brought Abram into a right relationship
with God. Abram was justified before God. Because of his faith, God counted
Abram as righteous allowing him to receive all of God’s promises.
Romans 3:23 reminds us that we are all sinners and come short of the
glory of God. But we are justified or made clean, by God’s grace through the
redemption that came with Jesus’ death on the cross. All we need do is, like
Abram, is accept on faith what God is offering. Once we do that and allow Jesus
to rule our hearts and minds, we become an example to our families and all with
whom we have contact of how faith in Jesus as our Savoir can change us which
will then open a door for us to explain all that awaits forgiven sinners.
So, this morning, I ask each of you if your faith is strong enough to be an
example to your families and if they can truly see Christ in you. Does your
faith make you confident about your future – will you be going to Heaven or
spend eternity in Hell? And finally, do you have fellowship with God through
your faith in Jesus – do you follow His example as you live your life? Do you
see and feel Him working in your life each and every day? If you can answer yes
to these questions, you have a strong faith-based relationship with God and your
future is secured. If you can’t answer yes all of these questions, it’s
imperative that you examine your life and make needed changes so that you, like
Abram, can be counted as righteous and partake of all the promises God offers of
love, peace, protection, and eternal life. Without faith, there is no future
that you will want part of.
May God bless you richly today and all the days ahead of you.
Sunday January 15 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
What to Do with Our
Burdens
Psalm 55:22-23
We hear a lot about burdens in the Bible but what exactly is a burden? Burdens
are things we carry in our lives and on our hearts that are very difficult and
includes obligations or duties that bring us a lot of concern, anxiety or
responsibility. It’s a fact of life that we all have burdens. At any given time
they can be related to family, finances, health, or even fear. And we all,
throughout our life, have let them take a lot of energy and peace from our
lives. All of us have had moments when we wanted to escape from relentless
problems and pressures. While this is an overwhelming urge that we may or may
not have resisted, we know we can never escape by running away. Sooner or later,
the problem will catch up to us and when it does, it will likely be worse than
before.
But as Christians, we aren’t supposed to let our burdens take over our life and
instead, use our faith to see us through. When we find ourselves in a position
where we just want to run away, we should instead take time to quiet our hearts
and minds in prayer and worship, lifting ourselves spiritually to God and
running to Him for His cover. Praying constantly is a way to maintain close
contact with God and allow us to set priorities for each and every day of our
lives. It also reinforces a great anchor of our faith which is allowing God take
on our burdens for us. When we do this, we will see how He holds us steady
through the difficult period and then sees us through to the end. Why can we do
this? Because our tomorrows are already known to God before we experience them.
God is already on the job and all we need do is allow Him to take over. We are
to let go and let God take care of everything.
Our text this morning comes from Psalm 55:22-23
which say: “(22) Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain
you: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (23) But You, Oh
God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men
shall not live out half their days; and I will trust in You.” This psalm was
written by David and it’s telling us that we don’t have to carry our burdens
alone. God is always there to help us. This is a source of encouragement to all
true believers. All we need to do is take our problem to the Lord, leave it
there, and let Him work it out for us.
God is waiting to receive all our trials and temptations and we have to exercise
our faith knowing that His love is stronger than any enemy we will ever face.
There hasn’t been a trial that has yet to overcome a believer so we really have
no need to worry or fret about it. That’s what our text is telling us.
We can trust that this will happen because God has placed a boundary of love
around each and every believer and it’s through that boundary that every trial
we come up against must pass. We know our God is one of unending love,
compassion, and grace so we must exercise our faith and allow Him to give us His
blessings and keep us safe, no matter what we must face in this fallen world.
God is the only one who can cancel Satan’s power. As believers we are safe in
the arms of our loving Lord, and we live in the circle of His care. And in His
care, no enemy will be allowed to harm us. Take strength and comfort knowing
that God has wonderful plans for all His children.
This isn’t always easy to do and there are times that our burdens will overtake
us with worry and concern. But if our hearts are right with God and our faith is
strong, we don’t have to worry about the outcome of any situation. Instead, all
we need do is focus on the last four words in verse 23 of
Psalm 55: “I will trust in You.”
There is no question that there are a lot of people in this world that are
headed for destruction. Those who are wicked, evil, and unrepentant will face
judgment if they continue to reject the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.
Our task is not to end up in the company of the lost. But that doesn’t mean we
can live as we choose thinking there will be time to repent later. This world is
not getting better. All we need do is look around. The time to wait is over. If
you haven’t accepted Jesus and think you have lots of time left, I urge you to
rethink that decision now. Satan’s greatest weapon is deceit. His only task is
to make people believe that all that is of God isn’t real and what is not of God
is. He has been amazingly successful in using this weapon. But even Satan’s days
are numbered in this world. So, would you rather place your faith and trust in
those who are wicked and led by Satan or in the God who loves you and is ready
to forgive all your sins as though they never happened? When you chose God, you
are completely covered by His love and the stress and strain of daily living
goes away. Join King David in declaring your faith in God and I promise that He
will never fail you or leave you behind.
While we only focused on the last two verses of Psalm
55 today, I would encourage you to go home and read the entire Psalm.
It will provide you a lot of encouragement and allow you to let God take on the
burdens that might be wearing you down.
May God bless and keep you today and all the days ahead. Always let go and let God.
Sunday January 8th 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
HAPPY NEW YEAR: What
Makes It Happy
John 3:3-5, Romans 6:4,
Philippians 3:13-14
Happy New Year! How many times have you said this in the last week? Now that
Christmas has passed and the lights and trees are coming down, Happy New Year is
the greeting of the season. Cards that we sent and received offer the greeting,
many celebrations were centered on it. But the truth is, the New Year isn’t
really new. Yes, we all offer Happy New Year greetings, but the truth is we woke
up to the same old burdens and problems before the clock struck midnight. Some
may have awakened with a terrible hangover making January 1st a pretty miserable
day. Over the years we have all learned that there is no magic midnight moment
that suddenly ushers in a world where there are no problems. So the question is,
what can make a New Year happy?
There is one thing I can guarantee will make your New Year happy: a new birth in
Jesus Christ. We read in John 3:3-5 “(3) Jesus answered and said
unto him ‘Verily, verily, [meaning very truly] I say unto you, except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (4) Nicodemus said unto
Him, ‘how can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into
his mother’s womb, and be born? (5) Jesus answered, ‘verily, verily, I
say unto you, except a man be born of water and not of the spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God.’” Jesus is revealing that God’s kingdom is personal
not national or ethnic, and entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual
rebirth. This erased Israel’s political hope of freedom from Rome. And it means
that God’s kingdom is open to all people – Jews and Gentiles – who accept Him
just as we are told in John 3:16.
New spiritual birth is an absolute necessity for true Christians. But it’s not
baptism or reformation. It takes place upon receiving Christ by faith as we are
told in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.” John also wrote in John 1:12: “But as many as received
Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe
on His name.” Complete faith in Christ and what He did for us at the cross is
the only thing that can make a person a true child of God.
When you make the sincere decision to accept Jesus in faith, something inside
you changes you. Paul tells us in Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with Him
by baptism into death; that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory
of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” This means that
all the sins and transgressions of or past are buried; when they put Jesus in
the tomb, all our sins went into that tomb as well. Our old life died and was
buried with Him, and His resurrection was our resurrection to a ‘newness of
life.” We can now treat the desires and temptations of our old nature as dead.
Then we are free to our wonderful new life with Jesus.
There is no one more miserable than the believer who doesn’t live right. If you
believe but haven’t gone all in to make the needed changes in your life, I
encourage you to examine your choices and see if you need to fully dedicate your
life to Jesus. Galatians 5:16-23 provides guidelines that tell us how to
walk in the newness of life. Fully transformed people produce something special
within their lives which Paul calls the Spirit fruit. The Holy Spirit
spontaneously and creatively produces this kind of fruit in reborn Christians.
The Spirit generates these character traits because we are becoming more like
Jesus who perfectly modeled them for us. When Christ is at the center of our
life these traits grow and flow from us naturally. We can’t obtain them by
trying to get them without His help. If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow
in us, we must live in close union with Jesus. That means we give our life to
Him, get to know Him, love Him, remember Him, and imitate Him. As a result, we
will fulfill the intended purpose of God’s law which is to love God and our
neighbors. The God who sent the law also sends us the Spirit. A Spirit-filled
life creates perfect harmony in accordance with God’s law. A person who exhibits
the fruit of the Spirit fulfils God’s law far better than people who observe the
religious rituals but have little love in their heart.
In Ephesians 5:1-16 Paul tells us how to live a Christian life. Just as children
imitate parents, we must imitate God by modeling our lives after Jesus. His love
for us led Him to sacrifice Himself so that we might live. Our love for others
should be the same kind – a love that goes beyond affection to self-sacrificing
service. Obscenity and off color jokes are so common today that we begin to
think they’re fine and normal. But crude language has no place in the
Christian’s conversation because it doesn’t reflect God’s gracious presence in
us. We can’t praise God and remind others of His goodness if we’re speaking
crudely. Jesus taught us to befriend sinners and lead them to Him, but Paul
cautions us to understand the lifestyle of people who live sinful, immoral lives
encouraging it in others – whether they’re in the church or outside it. Such
people quickly pollute the church and endanger its unity and purpose. When we
befriend unbelievers, be wary of those who oppose all that Christianity stands
for as they are more likely to influence us for evil than we are to influence
them for good.
As people who have light from the Lord, our actions will reflect our faith.
Jesus stressed this truth in the Sermon on the Mount. Our pasts may have dark
times of cynicism, despair, shame, or self-doubt and as a result Satan will work
to lead us back into that darkness. We reject Satan by intentionally living a
life based on what pleases the Lord. This allows Christ’s light to shine
brighter in us. Avoid any pleasure or activity that results in sin and instead
expose these deeds because our silence may be interpreted as approval. God needs
people who will take a stand for what is good, and Christians must lovingly
speak out for what is true and holy. We have to keep our standards high, acting
wisely and doing good wherever we can as outlined in God’s word.
We learn in Philippians 3:13-14 that
becoming a Christian requires us to forget and leave our old life behind us.
Paul had reason to forget what was behind him because he held the coats of those
who had been stoned for their Christian beliefs. We’ve all done things for which
we are ashamed which creates tension between what we have been and what we hope
to become. Because our trust is now in Christ, we can let go of past guilt and
look forward to what God will help us become. Don’t dwell on your past. Instead,
grow in your knowledge of God by concentrating on your relationship with Him
now. Realize that you’re forgiven and allow yourself to move on to a life of
faith and obedience. Look forward to the prize of heaven later and a fuller and
more meaningful life now because of your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
Our other choice is to continue to walk in the flesh meaning we hold on to the
things in our old life that are sinful in God’s sight. If we do that, we haven’t
changed at all and are still ruled by Satan. Christians can’t have it both ways.
It’s an either/or choice. If you’re finding there is a lot of conflict within
your heart and problems in your life, I urge you to examine your heart to see if
you not only believe but have truly accepted Jesus by making the choice to walk
in the Spirit and work to make needed changes your life.
God will not force you to accept Jesus, but the results of neglecting God’s
truth mean you are not born again, and your soul will be lost in eternity, your
heavenly reward will be lost, and you will not be part of the Rapture of the
Church. If you accept Jesus and set out to make real changes in your life, you
will have eternal salvation, complete separation from the evil of this world,
and the comfort and promises afforded you by living in the center of God’s will.
As this new year begins, it’s a good time for all of us to examine and
rededicate our lives to serving God and living as Jesus lived. Doing so will
give you peace that the world cannot understand even in the midst of adversity
and tragedy.
May God bless you today and every day ahead, and give you the strength and
courage to live a full Christian life in this crazy chaotic world.
Sunday January 1st 2023 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2023
HEROD: The Enemy of
Christ
Matthew 2:1-19
These past weeks we have been looking at all the people who had a part in the
birth of Jesus. One of the things we learned about the birth of the Messiah is
that God had a different focus than man. The Jews were expecting their Messiah
to be a political leader who would take them out from under the rule of the
Romans and assumed that He would be a mighty warrior or a regal king. But in
God’s plan, the Messiah came to the world in a stable, not a palace. Nor did He
arrive on the scene as a battle-tested warrior or regal king. Instead, His birth
was announced to shepherds in the fields.
But there was a king that had a major part in the birth of our Lord -- King
Herod. How often do you heard him mentioned at Christmas? He isn’t sung about in
our hymns and carols nor is he depicted in our manger displays. But he also had
a role at the arrival to earth of our Lord Jesus.
Our text this morning comes from Matthew 2:1-19
where we read of the Wise Men from the east who, after seeing the star, came to
see and worship the One who was born King of the Jews. Herod heard of this and
as we see in verse 3, he was troubled -- meaning he was quite disturbed
-- along with all Jerusalem. Why should the sitting king be so upset over the
birth of a little baby who was not yet ready to take the throne? Herod was not
the rightful heir to the throne of and was hated by many Jews for usurping the
throne of David. And if this child really was the heir, he knew there would be a
lot of trouble ahead. Herod also had many enemies because he was a ruthless
villain who was always suspicious that someone would try to overthrow him. And
the last thing he wanted was for the Jewish people, who were a religious people,
to unite around a religious figure. If these Wise Men who came to find Jesus
were of Jewish descent and as some scholars believe came from Parthia which was
the most powerful region next to Rome, they would have welcomed a Jewish king
who could swing the balance of power away from Rome. With Israel being far from
Rome, it would be easy prey for an eastern nation trying to gain more control
just as Assyria and Babylon had done centuries earlier.
So you see, Matthew clearly reveals that when Jesus was born people immediately
began to react. His presence didn’t soothe and comfort most people; instead, it
startled and disturbed them. For some, like the Wise Men, He awakened spiritual
longings, in others, His arrival brought fear and insecurity. And when you think
about it, the world hasn’t changed that much in 2,000 years. Jesus still upends,
stretches, and disrupts the world. Because God entered our world in person when
Jesus was born, mankind could no longer sit idly by, ignoring and rationalizing
our inaction. We must actively acknowledge Jesus as the rightful King of our
lives, allow Him into our hearts, and join with Him to build His eternal and
just kingdom.
In verses 4-6 of Matthew 2, we see how Herod gathered the Chief Priests
and Scribes together and demanded they tell him where Christ would be born. This
group of men knew all the Old Testament prophecies and particularly
Micah 5:2 that clearly spoke of the birth of
one who would rule the people of Israel would take place in Bethlehem.
This meeting then prompted Herod to call for the Wise Men to come to him. We see
in verses 7-10 how he demanded that they tell him when they saw star,
sent them to Bethlehem to find the child and ordered them to come back and tell
him where this child was so that he too could go and worship Him.
We learn in verses 11-12 that the Wise Men didn’t go to a manger but
actually found the young child in a house with his mother, Mary. It is likely
that Jesus was one to two years old by the time the Wise Men arrived. It was
there where they worshiped Him and presented their gifts of gold, frankincense,
and myrrh. Such gifts were a worthy acknowledgement for a future king. While it
is a nice tradition to depict the Wise Men in our manger scenes, it is not
historically accurate. These men were then warned by God in a dream not to go
back to Herod, so they returned to their own country following a different
route.
In verses 13-15 we see that an angel again appeared to Joseph in a dream
warning him to take Mary and the young child to Egypt and they were to remain
there until the angel told him to come back because Herod was intent on finding
and destroying the child Jesus.
Now back to Herod. We see in verses 16-18 that he was outraged that the
Wise Men ignored his demand to tell him where to find the child king. You see,
he had no intent of worshiping this child. Because of his jealousy and fear of
losing his throne, Herod demanded that slaughter of all male children in
Bethlehem age two years old and under. The age range likely resulted from
information the Wise Men gave to Herod about when they first saw the star. This
action also fulfilled the Old Testament prophesy in
Jeremiah 31:13 which speaks of the widespread mourning and crying
over the death of all male children. In verse 19-20 we’re told of the
death of Herod which prompted the appearance of the angel to Joseph in another
dream telling him it was safe for him and his family to return to Israel.
An important take way from this passage is when you reject Christ it affects
others. Herod rejected the Christ child, and it affected every family in
Bethlehem. Where angels once sang, now mothers were devastated with grief.
Romans 14:7 says: “For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies
to himself.” This means that what we do affects others. Our conduct determines
if others see Jesus through us and impresses upon us the importance of bringing
blessings to others by sharing the love of Jesus and God our Father.
When Herod died, he died in his sin and went from suffering on earth to
suffering in hell for his sins. Jesus came to save, but Herod died lost. Jesus
came to cleanse, but Herod died guilty. Jesus came to give peace, but Herod died
troubled, angry, and jealous. Don’t let that happen to you. If you have problems
that you struggle with, take them to Jesus and let Him help you work them out so
you can have the peace that only He can give. He is there whenever you need Him.
As we prepare to partake of communion this morning, it’s a perfect time to look
at your life and within your heart to see if there is anything preventing you
from having a full relationship with Jesus. If there is, ask Him to take away
whatever may be preventing Him from coming into your life and allowing you to
live with Him at the center of all you think, say, and do. If you do that and
follow through with needed changes, I guarantee you will have a life you never
imagined possible.
I wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year and pray that God will always watch
over you and bless you today and all the days ahead.
Sunday December 25th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
The Night of Miracles
Luke 2:1-20
This morning we read the story of the birth of Jesus – the Christmas story. It’s
very familiar to us and as we study our Bible, we learn that all of history had
been moving toward this night in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph journeyed from
Nazareth where the birth occurred. Mankind had been waiting since the fall of
man in the Garden of Eden for the arrival of the Messiah. Micah 5:2 tells us:
“But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of you shall He come forth unto Me who is to be Ruler of Israel; whose
goings forth have been of old, from everlasting.” This prophesy speaks directly
of the birth of Jesus as told by the Isaiah in 7:14. Ephrathah is the district
in which Bethlehem was located; and, where King David had been born and raised,
and initially anointed king by Samuel. This ruler is the promised eternal king
from the line of David and was none other than the Messiah entering this world
as a man called Jesus of Nazareth.
This event had been on Heaven’s calendar for ages. Angels looked forward to
their part, the words of ancient prophets awaited fulfilment and the baby Mary
was carrying would soon light up the night and the entire world.
We’ve spoken in the last few weeks of miracles of Christmas and there are many.
Jesus left the glory of Heaven to be born of a virgin in a smelly stable. John
1:10, “He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him
not.” This world belonged to Jesus, and He came to redeem it knowing His world
would reject Him. Yet He came anyway, with the understanding of how His time on
earth would end. He came to earth to save mankind, including you and me!
In verses 8-14 we see how God’s angels have been busy preparing for this day.
Gabriel visited Zachariah and Mary, an angel visited Joseph in a dream, and a
whole host of angels carried God’s message to the Bethlehem hillside. This same
place is the location of the tomb of Jacob’s wife Rachel the mother of Joseph,
it was where Samuel had anointed David to be king, and where Ruth had gleaned in
the fields of Boaz. Now it was time for the heavenly chorus to sing of peace on
earth to the shepherds in the field on this night to be remembered. God’s plan
came about exactly as He intended.
Then in verses 15-20 we learn of the miracle of God’s work in the hearts of men.
The Roman Empire established a taxing census. Mary and Joseph had to go to
Bethlehem to pay it, which shows how God can work to move powerful empires to
fulfill His will, which was told in Micah’s prophesy. Shepherds became
evangelists. Wise men began their journey following a His star. With all the
actors in this drama of the ages in place, Jesus Christ is born and now God is
with us!
This is the greatest miracle of all.
Through all time, like shepherds, many will come to Jesus. And like wise men,
many will worship Him. This question for all today is, have I become one of the
miracles of Christmas, accepting Jesus as my Savior? If not, your own miracle
awaits which I promise will give you peace you never knew could be possible. On
this Christmas day, let us all come in faith to Jesus and fully understand the
miracle of His salvation that is free to all who accept Him as Lord.
Merry Christmas everyone and may God bless you richly today and in all the days
ahead.
Sunday November 18th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
When the Sunrise of
Heaven Visited Earth
Luke 1:76-79
The birth of Jesus was a miracle, but it wasn’t the only one that occurred as He
arrived on earth. Luke records the other and that was the birth of John the
Baptist. Elizabeth, who was Mary’s cousin, also experienced a miracle shortly
before Mary learned of her own. Elizabeth and her husband, a temple priest named
Zachariah, never had children. Then in their old age, Elizabeth miraculously
conceived. We see in Luke 1:11-20 that
Zachariah learned of this from none other than the angel Gabriel. Gabriel told
him that Elizabeth will give him a son whom he was to call John and this child
would be a joy and delight to him. Also, many people will rejoice because of his
birth as he will be great in the sight of the Lord. Gabriel told him that John
would never partake of wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy
Spirit, even before his birth. And most important of all, many of the children
of Israel will turn to God because of John. This passage also tells us that
because of the advanced age of he and his wife, Zachariah truly doubted what was
being told to him. But the Angel said: ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence
of God; and am sent to speak unto you and to show you these glad tidings…And you
shall be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be
performed because you believed not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their
season.’ I imagine at this point Gabriel’s tone of voice may have been a lot
stronger toward Zachariah. When Gabriel shows up, he’s coming directly from God
so he’s one who should be taken very seriously. Even so, here we see how God
used Zachariah’s doubts for good. Because this Priest was now unable to speak,
it was evidence to others that something powerful had happened to him. So, this
helped them believe as well. And it’s a reminder for each of us to always look
for ways that God is at work in our own lives to help others believe, even in
the most worst circumstances.
When Elizabeth was six months into her pregnancy, Gabriel visited Mary to tell
her about her own miracle. He also shared that Elizabeth, her cousin, was going
to have a child in her old age, reminding Mary in Luke
2:37 that with God, nothing is impossible.
At the birth of John, Zachariah, now filled with the Holy Spirit, was again able
to speak. We see in verses 67-79 of chapter 1 that his first words
were to praise God for what He had brought about. He then went on to prophesy of
the coming of a Savior who would redeem His people and predicted that his own
son John, would prepare the Messiah’s way. As a priest well versed in the
ancient scriptures, Zachariah had to be in awe because he was actually seeing
all the Old Testament prophecies, he had studied his entire life are coming
true, so it’s no wonder that this man praised God. The Messiah would come in his
lifetime and his son had been chosen to pave the way!
In verses 76-79 of chapter 1, which is our primary text for this
morning,- Luke recorded Zachariah’s summary of what was to come. It says: “
(76) And you child, shall be called the Prophet of the Highest for you shall
go before the Face of the Lord to prepare His ways; (77) to give
knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, (78)
through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high has
visited us, (79) to give light to them who sit in darkness and in the
shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Dayspring is a poetic
description of the dawn or sunrise. It’s also another name that has been given
to Jesus because He brings light to all those in darkness, and He will remove
darkness from the world.
Our God always brings light out of darkness, In creation, we learned in
Genesis 1:3 that all God had to do was speak
“Let there be light” and we have a world that is light with sunlight!
Regarding salvation, Jesus tells us in John 8:12 that He is the light of the
world. And in 1 John 1:7, John writes that
“if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another and the blood of Jesus Christ…cleanses us from all sin.”
Hebrews 9:27 tells us that we all live in the
shadow of death and are but a heartbeat from eternity. But the death and
resurrection of Christ changed everything about death. The open tomb removed the
darkness from death because the sun shining into that tomb lit the pathway of
death for all who choose to belief in Him and His atoning work on the cross.
Scripture shows us how Jesus overcame death throughout His ministry: there was
the daughter of the synagogue leader Jairus, the son of the widow Nain, and His
friend Lazarus. All these were brought back from death. And best of all, Jesus
has overcome death for all of us! Not that we won’t die as the world considers
death, but that death is simply a transition from life as we know it on earth to
life with Him for all eternity.
Verse 79 of our text also shows us how Jesus gives light to those who
need direction. He guides our feet into the way of peace by removing the fear of
death and the unknown with the light of His resurrection. Without the fear of
death, we have peace in our life that shows us that no matter what, everything
will be OK. All we need to do is trust Him and turn everything over to Him to
work out for our good. Only Jesus can give us lasting peace in our lives. If you
don’t yet feel it, now is the time to turn your life completely over to Jesus
and allow Him to remove the obstacles holding you back and instead, give you
peace and light in your life. I promise you that this will happen in ways you
never thought possible.
The events surrounding the births of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus shows
us that although God has unlimited power, He often chooses to work through frail
and imperfect humans who all began as helpless babies. We see this throughout
the entire Bible. Abraham was a known liar, and Moses and the apostle Paul
committed murder. The point is, we must never minimize what God can do in and
through those who are faithful to Him and trust Jesus as their personal Savior.
He knows we are not perfect, but He wants to bring the light of Jesus into our
life in order to guide us from life on earth to life in heaven. Jesus came to
earth as a baby but left as the resurrected Savior for all mankind, should
anyone choose to accept Him. Without the salvation part of the story, the birth
part is meaningless. So yes, celebrate His coming in the manger because He is
the Sunrise of Heaven that has visited the earth. But worship Him for bringing
His light, the gifts of salvation, peace, and eternal life to all who truly
believe that He is the Son of God. And be like John the Baptist and tell others
about Jesus and what He can do in their lives.
Every person in this church and in this world can have these gifts from God. It
doesn’t matter what sins you have committed in the past, nor your gender, race,
ethnicity, or religion. What Jesus did on the cross was done for every human
being on this earth. Last week I shared with you how important it is to ask Him
to come into your life. Time is getting shorter, and I urge you to take that
step if you haven’t yet done so. I’m always available to help you take it so
please don’t be afraid to come talk to me. God doesn’t want to leave anyone
behind. He wants all His children with Him for eternity.
As you celebrate this Christmas season, may God bless you today and all the days
ahead.
Sunday November 11th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE MAGNIFICAT – The
Hymn of the Virgin Mary
Luke 1:46-55
Last week we talked about the virgin birth and the requirement that Christians
believe this miracle occurred. We also saw how Gabriel visited Mary and
explained to her that she would experience the miracle of being the mother of
the Messiah. While she was worried and confused given that she was a virgin, she
came to accept it after Gabriel told her not to be afraid because nothing is
impossible with God.
This morning I would like to share with you the next portion of the story found
in Luke 1:46-55 which reads: “ (46)
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, (47) and my spirit has
rejoiced in God my Savior. (48) For He has regarded the low estate of His
handmaiden; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
(49) For He who is mighty has done to me great things; and Holy is His
name. (50) And His mercy is on them who fear Him from generation to
generation; (51) He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their
hearts. (52) He has put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them
of low degree. (53) He has filled the hungry with good things; and the
rich He has sent empty away. (54) He has helped His servant Israel, in
remembrance of His mercy; (55) as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham,
and to his seed forever.” Pride is refusing to accept God’s gifts or taking
credit for what God has done. This passage is known as the “Magnificat” because
in verse 46 Mary says her ‘soul doth magnify
the Lord,’ Magnificat is the Latin translation of this verse. This passage has
been used as the basis for choral music and hymns through the centuries. If we
go back to Samuel 2:1 we see how Hanna, the
mother of Samuel also glorified God in song for His answer to her prayer for a
son. Her confidence in God’s sovereignty and her thankfulness for all He had
done are the themes of her prayer. Both women pictured God as a champion of the
poor, the oppressed, and the humble in the tradition of Deborah as we see in
Judges 5:1-31.
We see Mary say in verse 48 , “For He has regarded the low estate of His
handmaiden; for, behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”
Some would read this and say she was being proud and boastful. But that’s not
true. Pride is refusing to accept God’s gifts or taking credit for what God has
done in your life. Mary was recognizing and accepting the gift God had given her
and acknowledging the gift of God’s grace. She is expressing humility for His
gifts and for allowing her to use them to praise and serve Him. Like Mary, we
are not to deny, belittle, or ignore the gifts He gives to us. Rather we are to
thank God for them and use them for His glory and not to bolster our own pride
and ego.
In verses 49-54 Mary sings of God’s
Holiness, which is the essence of His being, and His mercy to them who respect
Him, which depicts Him as our father. Shea also praises His strength and how He
uses it in the world and reverses the conception of man of what it is to be
great and of low estate (meaning humble). So you see, our God sent the Messiah –
His Son -- down from the glory of Heaven, to be born of a woman who by all
accounts was not a rich powerful person. Our Lord ignored the proud
self-exultation of the religious elite of Israel and instead, showered His
attention and blessing on a humble handmaiden.
In verses 54-55 Mary reminds us how God kept
his promise to Abraham to be merciful to God’s people forever. The birth of
Jesus fulfilled this promise, and Mary understood this. She wasn’t surprised
when her special son eventually announced that He was the Messiah. She had known
Jesus’ mission from before He was born. And Mary herself recognized that she was
a sinner and didn’t hesitate to join those who needed a Savior.
Mary praised God for His love, His favor, His might, His mercy, His grace, and
His goodness. These are the things each one of us should be praising Him for
every day of our lives. If you can’t find examples in your life of how He has
shown each one of these gifts to you, then I will ask you to pray for Jesus to
come into your heart to set it straight. When we see how through the ages God
helped Israel, showed them mercy over and over again, kept His promises to
Abraham, sent a Messiah to take away the sins of the world; and kept His
promises about how the Messiah would be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, grow to
be crucified but then be resurrected, how can you not believe that God is who
Mary says He is and always has been?
We have a God who loves us for who we are – warts and all. He sent His own Son
into this world to allow us to see His own heart and to have our sins removed so
we could return to the God who created us in His own image. When you study the
Bible and see how the story of His love unfolds through the ages, it’s
impossible to not believe that He can save all who come to Jesus to be
participants in the eternal kingdom that will be set up at the coming of our
Lord. All we need do is believe His word through faith, then live the life He
intended us to live.
Yes, it’s difficult in this world and it will get harder as the days go by. Many
want nothing to do with God. But they take that stand at their own peril. And I
can guarantee there will be times when you will be disillusioned and pull back
from your faith. But He understands that as well because He created us. It’s at
those times that you need to hold on tighter to your faith and He will soon show
you how you need to make changes in your life to bring you closer to Him and all
He has planned for your future. It doesn’t matter that it’s been almost 2,000
years since Jesus returned to Heaven to await the fulfillment of God’s promised
kingdom. God has enormous patience and is waiting for as many people to come to
Him as is possible. But there will come a time when His patience ends, things
will begin to happen very fast, and you don’t want to be left behind.
But salvation isn’t automatically granted to anyone. Each person must ask for
it. So, if you haven’t yet asked no matter your age, I encourage you to say a
pray to God, admitting that you are a sinner, that you believe Jesus is His son,
that you want to change your life in order to live with Jesus at the center of
all you do, and that you need His help to make that happen. When you do that and
open your heart to Jesus, your life will change in so many ways. You will
experience peace, contentment, and joy you never knew were possible even in the
midst of others making fun of you at times because of your faith, and you will
be amazed how problems suddenly work themselves out. All you need do is ask for
it.
To those who have accepted Jesus but may have become complacent about salvation,
I encourage you to pray for Him to bring you back and help you to live your
faith so that others can see Jesus through you. This is something we all must do
because the Jesus others see in us may be the only glimpse of Jesus that they
get in their lives.
So, as you go through this Christmas season, remember that Jesus is the reason
why we celebrate, and this is all came about because of the love that God our
Father has for each one of us.
May God bless His word to your hearts.
Sunday November 4th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF
CHRIST
The Christmas season has officially begun. While it is very likely Jesus was not
born on December 25th, the truth is the exact date doesn’t really matter. We’re
remembering the occasion of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, the promised
Messiah. The birth of Christ is a piece of the central subject of the entire the
Bible. The Old Testament prophecies it and the New Testament proclaims it. Yet
there are many who question if the virgin birth can actually be true and is it
really important that Christians accept it no matter what? The answer to both of
these questions is absolutely yes. It’s true and Christians must accept it.
Isaiah 7:14 tells us why: “Therefore, the Lord Himself shall give you
a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son; and shall call His Name
Emmanuel.” Without a doubt this prophecy is the greatest in the Bible. The child
who would be born is the Son of God. His name, Emmanuel means God with us. If
Christians accept the Bible, they must accept the virgin birth.
In Genesis 3:15 God himself tell us: “And I will put enmity between you
and the woman, and between your seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall
bruise His heel,” Here God is speaking to directly to Satan after he had
succeeded in tempting Eve to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree. There is now
animosity (enmity) between Satan and Eve and God is telling him that since he
used the woman to bring down the human race, He will use the woman to bring the
Redeemer into the world who will bring down Satan but not before Satan bruises
the Messiah’s heal with suffering on the cross.
In Luke 1:26-38 we learn how Gabriel told
Mary, who was engaged to a man named Joseph, of the coming birth. When he saw
that she was afraid, Gabriel reassured her that she was highly favored and
blessed by God among women. This child was to be named Jesus, which in the Greek
means Savior or the Salvation of Jehovah. Mary told Gabriel that it was
impossible because she had never been with a man and again, he assured her that
it would be the Holy Spirit that would cause her to become pregnant and her
child would be the Son of God. This is the act of Incarnation, which is God
becoming man. We then see Mary accepted what was told to her when she said,
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to your word.”
In today’s world people no longer blink an eye when an unmarried couple announce
that they are expecting a child. This wasn’t the case in ancient Israel. We see
in Matthew 1:18-24
that when Joseph learned that his fiancée was expecting a child that he knew
was not his, he planned to quietly break their engagement as he loved her enough
not to embarrass her publicly. Again, we see how an angel appeared to him in a
dream telling him it was OK for him to marry Mary, and that the child she is
carrying was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph also was instructed to name
the baby Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. The angel went
on to remind Joseph of Isaiah’s prophecy 740 years before concerning the virgin
birth of Emmanuel. Joseph did marry Mary and together they raised the baby born
of the Holy Spirit.
In Galatians 4, Paul confirms the Genesis declaration of God that the child born
of a woman would redeem humanity and defeat the sin caused by Satan. For
centuries the Jews had been wondering when their Messiah would come – but
remember, God’s timing is perfect. When He says He will do something, He will do
it. We sometimes wonder if God will ever respond to our prayers. We must accept
that He will answer all of them in His time, and never doubt Him or give up on
Him. Trust His judgment, His timing, and that He has our best interests at
heart. That is faith. Jesus tells us in John 3:16
that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to save all who
believe in Him and His purpose. By accepting Jesus, we become heirs of God and
will have eternal life with Him. So, you see, as we read in Luke 1:37,
‘nothing is impossible with God.’
We can’t pick and choose what we want to believe in the Bible. It’s an all or
nothing deal. That’s what faith is all about. If the Bible says it, believe it,
and that settles it. Mary had difficulty understanding how she could become
pregnant but accepted the miracle by faith. God made the first man from the dust
of the ground, and we believe it, so why couldn’t He send Jesus to this world
through a virgin birth? If you find this hard to accept, then what about Jesus
feeding 5,000 with a few loves of bread and fish? Do believe that Jesus walked
on the Sea of Galilee or calmed the raging storm when His disciples was scared
out of their minds? What about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead? What about
His own resurrection?
If you find you can’t accept the virgin birth, then all the other miracles of
the Bible are equally unacceptable and you, my friend are not saved, and are not
a Christian. Paul writes in I Corinthians 2:14-16:
“ (14) But the natural man receives not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned. (15) 1But he who is spiritual
judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (16) For who has
known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of
Christ.”
Non-Christians (natural man) can never fully understand God and they can’t grasp
the concept that God’s spirit lives in believers. Don’t expect most people to
approve or understand your decision to follow Christ because it all seems silly
to them. Just as a tone-deaf person can’t appreciate fine music, those who
reject Christ can’t understand God’s spirit. With the lines of communication
broken, they won’t be able to hear what God is saying to them. But Christians
can’t stay silent using the unbelief of others as an excuse. We are still
channels to communicate God to unbelievers. Someone’s question may be evidence
that God’s spirit is drawing that person to the point of decision. We can help
them make that decision.
The guidance of the Holy Spirit gives believers insight into some of God’s
plans, thoughts, and actions – which gives us the ‘mind of Christ.” That’s how
we begin to know God’s thoughts, are able to talk with Him, and expect His
answers to our prayers. Ask yourself, are you spending enough time with Jesus to
have His very mind in you? An intimate relationship with Him only comes from
spending time in His presence and in His word.
So, if you’re having difficulties trying to understand the things of the Holy
Spirit, ask Jesus to come into your heart and open your mind. Receiving Him as
you Savior will open your eyes and allow you to fully accept ALL of the Bible,
including the virgin birth of the Son of God. You will then know that the God of
Miracles loves you, will forgive all your sins, will strengthen your faith, and
the miracle of new birth will take place in you. I encourage you all to have the
mind of Jesus and trust Him to save you from your sins.
May God bless His word to your hearts.
Sunday November 27th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
LOOKING LIKE WINNERS
Hebrews 12:1-3
The book of Hebrews, written by the Apostle Paul is an amazing lesson in how
Christ is not only the superior source for all our needs, He is also totally
sufficient for all we need. Paul also shows us how faith is important in our
lives. Chapters 10, 11, and 12 in Hebrews offer an in-depth look at faith
by showing us in chapter 10 how we are saved by faith, providing many examples
of faith in action by others in chapter 11, and in chapter 12, he
shows us how to live a life of faith. This morning I’d like to share some things
from this chapter that will help you do just that.
Our text is Hebrews 12:1-3 where Paul
writes: “ (1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us;
(2) Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy
that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down
at the right hand of the Throne of God. (3) For consider Him who endured
such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be wearied and faint in
your minds.” Notice that Paul compares living a Godly life of faith to the
competition of running a race. The truth is, it’s the most important race of our
lives. So how can we be assured we will win this race?
We start by looking at all those who have gone before us. The great cloud of
witnesses mentioned in verse 1 are the people he previously described in
Chapter 11, all of whom looked forward to the coming promise of Jesus Christ
and what He would do at the cross to redeem mankind. A few past examples include
Noah. He was watched closely as he built the ark as commanded by God. There was
Abraham who was watched when he left his life behind to go to Canaan as
instructed by God. And there was Moses who was watched as he met with Pharaoh to
convince him to release the Israelites from captivity in Egypt.
It’s a fact that all who chose a life of faith will be watched constantly and
scrutinized on how they life their faith. As we study our Bible, we can be
encouraged by those who have gone before us and have succeeded in living out
their faith while knowing we are not alone. There are many who have run the race
and won. And so can we. Those who have run before us are counting on us to run
our race well. We never know who may choose to run the race themselves by
watching us. And there will be those who will never join in. Nevertheless, we
should encourage those who want to enter and pray for those who don’t. The
important thing is that we look like winners in the eye of those who are
watching us and evaluating how we live a Godly life.
Long distance runners work hard to build endurance and strength. On race day,
their clothes are light weight, and their bodies are lean. In the ancient world,
runners competed naked to ensure nothing would hold them back. To run the race
that God has set before us, we must also strip off excess weight that slows us
down. How do we do that? Well, we should choose friends who are also committed
to the race. Nonbelieving friends will have values and want us to engage in
activities that may deter us from the course. We can drop or curtail certain
activities, such as continually checking messages, spending hours a day watching
tv shows or playing video games, or shopping for nonessential items. These and
many other things may be adding unnecessary weight to our race and hold us back
from a complete and satisfying spiritual life. Try dropping them for a while;
then check the results are in your life. We can also get help for addictions
that disable us. If you have a secret weight, admit you need help and get it out
of your life as soon as possible.
Verse 2 tell us the key in winning the race is to always look to Jesus.
As the author and finisher of our faith, He shows us what to do and how to
continue to the race to the end; providing we keep our eyes on Him and what He
did at the Cross. Jesus is the source, while the Cross is the means. “Looking
unto Jesus” are the three words that will not allow us to fail. Others may let
us down, but Jesus never has and never will.
Verse 3 is a source of encouragement throughout our race. We see how
Jesus was able to over come so many who were against Him. Others may let us down
in this life, but Jesus never fails us. Hebrews 13:8
tells us Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Human
leaders have a lot to offer us, but we must always keep or eyes on Jesus who is
our ultimate Leader. Unlike human leaders, He will never change. He has been and
will be the same forever. In a changing world, we can trust our unchanging Lord
to strengthen, encourage and guide us through the Holy Spirit in every step of
our race. Why? Because as 1 Peter 2:21 tells us, He suffered for us,
leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps. But don’t worry, it’s
not likely we will have to be crucified for our faith. He is our example of how
we should live our faith. So, you see, Jesus is the perfect coach. By following
Him, not only do we begin well, we will also end up as winners.
The Christian life requires focus and training, it requires us to give up
whatever will hinder or endanger our relationship with God so that we will be
able to run our race with stamina and commitment through the power of the Holy
Spirit. We will most certainly stumble if we look away from Jesus to worry about
ourselves or look at the opposition, trials, or suffering that we will surely
face. We are to be running solely for Christ, not our own glory or success, and
we must always keep Him in sight. Yes, the race of faith will require a
tremendous amount of endurance. But the joy that is waiting for all winners at
the finish line is eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord.
So, never give up. Always look to Jesus for help and you will be rewarded at the
end in ways that you cannot fully grasp with your finite human mind. But I can
promise you that it will be well worth the hard work that you put into your
journey.
May God bless you every step of your lives.
Sunday November 20th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THANKFUL FOR WHAT?
Before the week is out, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. But exactly what is
it for which we should be thankful particularly when we look around about all
the bad stuff going on in the world.
Our country’s history tells us of the pilgrims who arrived on the rocky coast of
Cape Cod on November 11, 1620. They came to the new world to find a place to
worship in freedom and suffered may hardships in their first winter including
the death of half of those who originally arrived. Yet they made a point of
establishing the first Thanksgiving in spite of their many problems.
David wrote a great song of Thanksgiving that we find in
Psalm 103. In this psalm he focuses on all the
good God was doing for him. It’s very easy to find reasons to complain about
life, but David gives us plenty for which we can praise and thank God. He
forgives our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from death, crowns us with
love and compassion, satisfies our desire, and give righteousness and justice.
And we receive all of these things without deserving any of them! When you feel
as though you have nothing for which to be thankful to God, I encourage you to
read David’s list in this psalm.
I Timothy 6:8 says: “And having food and
raiment let us be therewith content.” Do you have enough food on your table and
clothes in your closet? Be thankful for that. The pilgrims were and they had
mostly nothing. Millions of people go hungry which means those of us who have
enough food should always be thankful. Winter finds many people cold because
they don’t have proper clothes. Having adequate clothing makes us comfortable
and protected. For this we are to be thankful and never take it for granted.
I Thessalonians 5:18
says In everything give thanks; for this is the Will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning you.” No matter what happens or how bad things may see to be,
we are to never stop giving thanks, which is the will of God. Paul isn’t
teaching that we should thank God for everything that happens to us, but rather
in everything that happens to us. Evil never comes from God, so we should not
thank Him for it. But when evil strikes, we can still be thankful for God’s
presence in our lives and for the good that He will accomplish through the
distress and trouble we endure in this life. Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness
should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Giving thanks in the
trials we face goes against our natural inclinations. But when we make a
conscious decision to always be thankful, we will see things with a new
perspective, and we will come to see there is a lot for which we can be
thankful.
Romans 8:28 tells us that “…all things work
together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to His
purpose.” Paul is telling us that God works everything – not just isolated
instances – for our good. This doesn’t mean that all that happens to us will be
pleasant, nor do we have to believe that pain we experience is good. Even though
evil is all over our fallen world, God is able to turn every circumstance around
for our long-term benefit. It’s important to note that God doesn’t work only to
make us happy, but to fulfill His purposes. But the promise of this verse can
only be claimed by those who love God and are called by Him – that is, all who
the Holy Spirit enabled to receive Christ. Only then can we have a new
perspective and a new mind set because we can trust in God and find security in
His priorities. When we reach this point, we see that God doesn’t waver in times
of pain and persecution because we know that God is with us. Always remember
that only God can turn a tragedy into a triumph!
Our loving Father has the whole world in His hands. That’s why we should be
thankful to Him for whatever we may face. His promises help us weather all of
life’s storms because we know the One who holds the future and can rest
peacefully knowing that He loves us.
Romans 5:3 tells us we can “…glory in tribulation…knowing that
tribulation works patience.” This means that for now we will experience
difficulties that will help us grow. We can rejoice in suffering not because we
like pain or we deny its tragedy, but because we know God is using life’s
difficulties and Satan’s attacks to build our character and develop perseverance
which, in turn, will strengthen and deepen our trust in God and give us greater
confidence about the future. Some think this is cruel therefore God isn’t a God
of love. But that is not the case at all. Parents you know that sometimes you
have to step back and let your children learn some hard lessons while knowing
that you could have stepped in to prevent whatever has happened. Why? Because
they have to learn. Going through difficulties and making mistakes allows them
to learn, grow and become stronger. It doesn’t mean you don’t love them or have
their best interests at heart. As our loving spiritual parent and creator, God
teaches us to be patient and trust Him. And weathering life’s difficulties makes
us more like Jesus. We should also be thankful for the troubles that have not
come our way. God spares us from many things of which we are completely unaware.
As Christians we have eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ. II Corinthians 9:15 tells us that we
are to be thankful “…unto God for His unspeakable gift.” Without God’s plan and
the willingness of Jesus to be part of it, we would all be damned to eternity in
Hell. John 3:16 clearly show us that we who were without hope have been assured
that we will never perish. All we need do is accept what Jesus has done on the
cross and live our lives being thankful for all that has been done for us. I
John 5:12 and 13 tell us that “ (12) He who has the Son has
life; and he who has not the Son of God has not life. (13) These things
have I written unto you who believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may
know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son
of God.” This sums pretty much up why we should be to God thankful each and
every day.
If we go through our lives with a thankful heart, we will learn that life is
much happier. Always be thankful for what you have, and you will soon see that
you have all that you need. When you trust in God completely to take care of
you, you find that problems will work themselves out and when trouble comes, you
don’t have to worry because you are covered by the strength and love of God.
As you gather with those you care most about this holiday, remember to be
thankful in all things because God never leaves you alone and will see you
through the good times and well as the bad times.
May you have a happy
Thanksgiving and may God continue to watch over you and bless you each and every
day.
Sunday November 13th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
PEACE WITH GOD
Romans 5:1-6
There’s no doubt as we look around, we see the world becoming increasingly
chaotic. All the crazy ideas about gender, increases in lawlessness, and what
was wrong is now right and what was right is now wrong. So, I thought it would
be a good time to talk to you about peace with God. Our text is from Romans
5:1-6 where the apostle Paul wrote: “(1) Therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; (2) by whom
also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in
hope of the glory of God. (3) And not only so, but we glory in
tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience; (4) and
patience, experience; and experience, hope. (5) And hope makes not
ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
which is given unto us. (6) For when we were yet without strength, in due
time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Being justified by faith means that all who have faith in Jesus and what He did
on the cross are redeemed, meaning they are freed from the penalty of sin. Our
faith also gives us direct access to God then guarantees us eternal life. In
terms of peace with God, I want you to understand that being at peace with God
is different from the feelings of calmness and tranquility. Having peace with
God means that we have been reconciled – or restored – to God. No more hostility
stands between Him and us, and sin no longer blocks our relationship with Him.
Peace with God is possible only because Jesus paid the price for our sins
through His death on the cross. Jesus redeemed or debt.
Even when we experience devastating tragedies, we can have God’s peace because
of our confidence in His promises. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 13:13
that faith, hope, and love are at the heart of the Christian life. Our
relationship with God begins with faith, which then helps us realize that we are
delivered from our sinful past by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Then our
confidence grows as we learn all that God has in mind for us, thereby giving us
the promise of the future with Him. God’s plan for our redemption is all because
He never stopped loving us when sin came into the world in the garden of Eden.
God’s love fills our lives and gives us the ability to reach out and love
others.
We see in verse two of our text that as believers we now stand in a place of
privilege because of the grace of God and not because of anything we did to earn
that position. Faith in Jesus and what He did on the cross not only declares us
‘not guilty’ before God, it also brings us closer to Him as His children.
The first century Christians suffered for their faith. Many were killed and
other ostracized. Throughout history and even today people all around the world
are still experiencing the same kind of treatment. Even in our country
Christians are often insulted and criticized for their faith. But even through
all this, we must remain faithful. Paul is telling us that in the future we will
become but until then we must overcome. Life in a world that is currently
controlled by Satan means there will always be problems with which we must deal.
But we must be patient and look to Jesus to help us through all of the heart
wrenching things we must endure in this live. We must have patience and maintain
a strong faith because in the end, it will be worth it and the memories of all
the difficulties we have experienced with fade away.
It may sound patronizing when Paul says to rejoice in tribulation. But that
isn’t the case. It doesn’t mean that God wants us to suffer or requires that we
go through tragedy. We must stand firm in our faith and realize that God is
using Satan’s attacks to build our character. The problems that we encounter
will develop our perseverance, which, in turn will strengthen our character,
deepen our trust in God, and give us greater confidence about the future He has
promised to us as heirs to His kingdom. Our faith will be tested every single
day in some way because Satan is actively working to pull us away from God. Our
task is to trust God and thank Him for the opportunities to grow and gain
experience to deal with them through the strength that only He can give us.
We can take heart that we are never alone in this life because all parts of the
trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – are involved in our
salvation and guiding us through each and every step of our lives. God the
Father loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to bridge the gap created by
Satan through sin. The Father and the Son sent us the Holy Spirit to fill our
lives with love and to enable us to live by His power. When we take the time to
reflect on all this love that is shown to us every moment of our lives, we are
afforded the ability to live in a place of peace and serve the God who loves us.
Because we were weak and unable to do anything on our own to save ourselves,
someone had to come and rescue us. Jesus Christ came at exactly the right time
in history, according to God’s own schedule. God controls all history, and He
controlled the timing, methods, and events surrounding Jesus’ death.
So while it’s true, peace with God is not the same as continuous feelings of
calm and tranquility, what I can tell you is that when you are at peace with
God, you will find that as time passes and you experience the evidence of His
work in your life, you will be able to experience the feelings of calm and
tranquility because your confidence in God’s continued help and guidance will
allow you to worry less when trials and tribulation find their way into your
life. Trusting Him with all of life’s problems will allow you to experience how
He can help you get through all of life’s uncertainty and difficulty. When you
find yourself searching for an answer, turn it over to God and you will get the
answer that is exactly right for you at exactly the right time.
Faith in Jesus and the saving work of the cross is the only path to peace with
God who will then give us the calmness and tranquility to face the problems that
life constantly throws at us.
May God continue
to watch over you and bless you richly every day.
Sunday November 6th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
TIME FOR COMMUNION
I Corinthians 11:23-34
Today is the day that we hold our monthly communion service to remember the
death of our Savior Jesus Christ. I felt it would be a good time to look into
God’s word and learn more of just why we do this month after month and what our
obligations are as Christians when we choose to participate. Our text comes from
I Corinthians 11:23-34: “(24) And when He had given thanks, He
broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My Body, which is broken for you. This do
in remembrance of Me’. (25) After the same manner also He took the cup,
when He had supped, saying: ‘This cup is the covenant in My Blood, this do you,
as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of Me’. (26) For as often as you
eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord’s death till He come.
(27) Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the
Lord, unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. (28)
For let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of
that cup. (29) For he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks
damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. (30) For this
cause, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (31) For if we
would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are
judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the
world. (33) Wherefore my brethren, when you come together to eat, tarry
one for another. (34) And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that
you come not together unto condemnation.”
Even though Paul is writing to the Corinthian church, what he says applies to
every Christian until the time when Jesus returns. Notice that there are no
rules as to when this memorial will be held. Some churches do it monthly, others
weekly, still others yearly. Some churches restrict participation to their
members, whereas others invite all believers to partake. Some got to the altar,
other are served in the pews. How ever it is carried out, it’s important to
understand that participating in the communion memorial will not save any
person. Only faith in Jesus Christ as the son of God and belief in what He did
on the cross to save sinners will do that. The early church remembered that
Jesus began this memorial on the night of the Passover meal with His disciples.
Today we have a better understanding than they did that night. We know that the
bread and the cup represent Jesus’ broken body and shed blood on the cross. What
then is the purpose of Communion?
Verses 24 and 25 of our text tell us. We do this in remembrance of Jesus
and what He did for us on the cross. It tells us that the cross is very
important to God and Jesus and therefore should be important to us.
Participating in what is often referred to as the Lord’s Supper is an important
element of our Christian faith because while in the presence of Christ as we
take part in this memorial, we are strengthened spiritually.
What is the new covenant – or promise in verse 25? Prior to Jesus’ death on the
cross, people could only approach God through the priests and sacrificial ritual
of the killing of a lamb. Upon His death, all people can now personally approach
God without an intermediary, confess their belief in Jesus as His Son, and ask
forgiveness of their sins.
Why is it important that we remember Christ’s suffering? Because it reminds us
of the seriousness of sin, it reminds us of God’s love and grace toward us, and
it reminds us that we have been forgiven. This memorial also gives us hope. In
verse 26 we are told that we are to continue
this until He comes again. Jesus Himself gave us the promise of His return. This
memorial looks back on His suffering but also ahead at His return. We are
reminded of the pain He suffered but also of His glory that will be seen by the
whole world when He returns. Each time we have this service, we are one step
closer to His return.
There is also a warning in verses 27-29. By
participating in the memorial, we are proclaiming that Christ died for our sins
therefore, we should partake of it worthily, with due reverence and respect. We
are to reflect on the meaning of each of the elements and what they represent as
well as what was done for us on the cross. We must also examine ourselves for
any unconfessed sin or resentful attitude and ask forgiveness so that we can be
properly prepared based on our belief in Christ and His love for us and our love
for Him. It’s dangerous to be cavalier about the communion service. We are to
approach it with reverence and respect, recognizing the price that was paid for
each one of us. To be disrespectful of it risks judgment from God.
Self-examination and confession of our sins can prevent His judgment.
The truth is no one is worthy of participating in the Lord’s Supper. This is why
we must prepare ourselves for communion through healthy introspection,
confession of sin, and resolution of our differences with others. These actions
will remove the barriers that affect our relationship with Jesus and other
believers. Awareness of our sin should not keep you away from communion but
instead, drive us to participate in it because it helps us to keep the meaning
of the cross clear, our expectation of the promised return of Christ fresh, and
our hearts sensitive to our personal sins. The communion service it is not just
something we do each month because it’s nice to do. It has a vital place in our
faith and our belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior. For without His sacrifice on
the cross, we would be lost for eternity.
Sunday October 30th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
WHY THE LONG WAIT FOR
CHRIST’S RETURN?
2 Peter 3:9
The last time we were together we talked about those who mock our faith. One of
the reasons they throw at us is because it’s been 2,000 years and Jesus hasn’t
returned, strengthening their belief that He is never coming back. They mock the
prophecies of Jesus’ return and instead live their lives in a way that feels
good for them. But don’t be fooled and don’t lose heart. Their unbelief will
absolutely bring judgment that won’t end well for them.
This morning I talk about why so much time has passed, and why it seems to have
taken so long for God to fulfill the promise He made about the return of Jesus.
Let’s look at 2 Peter 3:9, which says: “The
Lord is not slack concerning His Promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward [or toward us], not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.”
Peter begins by telling us the Lord is not slack in this promise; meaning He
isn’t slow, He hasn’t forgotten, nor has He changed His mind. The truth is that
our God is a longsuffering – or patient – God, and He wants more people to give
up the sinful ways of Satan and come back to Him. Sure, it would be wonderful if
He would take us all home to Him right now, but He wants us to be to also be
patient and give Him time to work His plan to the fullest extent possible. Also,
remember that God doesn’t exist in the same timeframe as we do here on earth.
Peter tells us in verse 8 that to God, one day is like a thousand years
and a thousand years is like one day. Time as we understand it with 24 hours to
a day, 60 minutes to an hour, twelve months to a year, etc., means nothing to
God. He operates on a plane that we simply can’t understand. So, it’s better
that we just accept that He is far superior to us and trust there will come a
point when we will have a full understanding about everything.
Speculating when Jesus will return is a waste of time. We can’t begin to know
the mind of God so we shouldn’t be sitting around trying to figure out the day
or time when He will send Jesus to get His Church, which will then begin the
great tribulation. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and
hour knows no man, no, not the Angels of Heaven, but My Father only.” If anyone
tries to tell you that he or she knows the date, don’t fall for it. Instead,
look to your faith to guide you and tell you that while we may not know when
Jesus will call us home, we are assured that He will do so at the exact right
time according to God’s own timeline and no one else’s. I can tell you that
every passing moment moves us closer to the fulfillment of His promise. Mockers
can’t change it or take it away, and arrogant dates setters can’t arrange it.
The time of Christ’s return has been compared to a roaring river flowing toward
a waterfall. The river continues to flow and when it can’t move forward any
longer, at the right time the water tumbles over the fall. It’s also been
compared to a time bomb ticking off the seconds to detonation. God will reach
the point where He will declare the time has come and the entire world will know
it.
God has His own clock, and it isn’t like our clock. The fact that it’s been
2,000 years isn’t a sign that Jesus won’t return. Instead, have faith that His
patience hasn’t yet been exhausted. Psalm 103:8
speaks of our Lord’s patience: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to
anger, and plenteous in mercy.” Despite of all our missteps, God is always
patient, gracious, and slow to anger. All believers would be in deep trouble
apart from the patience of God. He sees our lack of prayer time, our disregard
for those who don’t share our belief, how we have more of an earthly mindedness
than a heavenly mindedness, and our inconsistencies in living our faith. But He
is quick to forgive and still gives us blessings every day of our lives. The
truth is, He is exactly the same way with nonbelievers, always giving them the
opportunity to change their ways and come back to Him. Remember, it’s incumbent
on all of us to be concerned for the souls of unbelievers and never miss an
opportunity to tell them how our lives have been changed by the love of Jesus
through the cross.
We must not become impatient regarding the fulfillment of Jesus’ promised
return. I John 2:28 tells us to “…abide in
Him that when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before
Him at His coming.” Don’t give up on Him. He will return just as it has been
promised to us. Keep your faith strong because it will happen one day. It’s
God’s love for all people that will determine the day of the return of Jesus
because as Peter tell us, God isn’t willing that any should perish. His promise
is predicated on the saving of lost souls. We have a part in that. We have to
share our faith with all those with whom we come in contact. We have to live it
so others can see it in us.
Jesus will come when the last soul is won to complete the Bride of Christ which
is the Church. Every day until the Rapture occurs is a call to repentance to all
nonbelievers. While time remains, all nonbelievers have an opportunity to change
their lives and come to Jesus for forgiveness. Non acceptance of Jesus is a
death sentence. They can’t change their minds when they find themselves face to
face with Jesus and say, ‘Oh, I guess all those crazy people were right.’
Every day that God waits to send Jesus for us is an opportunity for unbelievers
to turn to God and ask for forgiveness of their sins and accept Jesus. II
Corinthians 6:1-2 tell us: “(1) We then, as workers together with
Him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain. (2)
For He said, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the Day of Salvation
have I succored [meaning helped] you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold,
now is the Day of Salvation.”
With all that we have come to know about God, Jesus, and their love for us, it’s
hard to understand why so many people ignore God’s gift of salvation. It’s
because they are so controlled by Satan that they don’t want to see another path
is available. Their hearts are hardened against anything concerning God. Yet,
God still offers salvation to all people. Many purposefully put off their
decision to turn to God and think they can accept Jesus at a later time. That is
extremely dangerous. None of us -- believers and unbelievers -- are promised
tomorrow. As mentioned earlier, coming face to face with Jesus will not afford
anyone the opportunity to change their mind. There is no better time than the
present to receive God’s forgiveness and accept Jesus as your personal Savior.
We need to show as many people as possible how their lives can change for the
better by accepting Him now and not wait.
It’s obvious to all of us who study our Bible that the time is getting closer to
when we will see the promise of God revealed. All of the prophecies have been
fulfilled except for the Rapture and the Great Tribulation. For those to occur,
the only thing that needs to happen is for God to tell Jesus to go get His
children. Now more than ever we have to openly live our faith so nonbelievers
can see that we are different. We need to make them curious to find out why we
can be calm amid the chaos in which we live.
But most important, we have to trust God and be confident in His wisdom and
patience. Never fall victim to the belief that because so much time has passed
since Jesus walked this earth it means He isn’t going to come back. It simply is
not the case. We may not have the patience equal to that of God, but we do have
faith. When your impatience is rearing it head, look to our Lord to guide you.
He is coming back just as He said, and it will be sooner than we all think. My
prayer is that we will all be as ready as we possibly can be. Even so Lord
Jesus, come quickly.
Sunday October 23rd 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2022
A TEXT FOR TOUGH TIMES
John 14:1-6
We all go through things we never thought we would have to experience. And there
are things
we go through that we never in our wildest dreams thought we would get through,
but we do.
There is a passage in the New Testament that many go to when trouble hits.
It’s found in John 14:1-6 and it says: “ (1) Let not our heart be
troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
(2) In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
(3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto Myself; that where I am,
there you may be also. (4) And where I go you know, and the way you know.
(5) Thomas said unto Him, Lord, we know not where You go; and how can we
know the way? (6) Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the
Life; no man comes unto the Father,
but by Me.”
This text may be familiar to all of you. You may also know that it’s often used
to help people get through difficult times.
You may have even used it yourself at the loss of a loved one or to reinforce
your belief that they are now with Jesus. Or it may be used
to strengthen your faith when you have no idea which way to turn when trying to
solve a problem or deal with a situation that seem completely out of your
control.
After reading it, you may also wonder how does it relate to on going problems in
this life when it only talks of believers going to heaven.
The answer is because while all believers are assured of a place with Jesus, we
are also assured that we will have help for the time we remain in this life on
earth. Jesus starts out by telling us that we shouldn’t let our hearts be
troubled over anything.
Is This Easy to Do?
It should Be!!!!
Whenever the dark clouds start to gather, we should immediately turn to Jesus.
Turn To Him for comfort and guidance. John 16:33
tells us that in this world we will have tribulation, but we are to be of good
cheer because while things may look dark, we are assured everything is under the
control of God.
We are to trust what Jesus said and believe Him. Because He has overcome the
world through the cross, we can trust
that He will overcome our trials and tribulations here on earth. Despite the
inevitable struggles we all will face, we are not alone.
Jesus doesn’t abandon us to deal with them alone. If we remember that the
ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace
of Jesus in the most troubling of times. Yes, death and pain come to all of us
in some form, but God is always there waiting to comfort His people as we are
told in Isaiah 40:1. Jesus is there to pick
us up and comfort us. And the trouble we experience is not a surprise to God.
He knows what has happened, is currently Happening, and what will happen in each
of our lives.
Recall the story
recorded in Mark 4:35-41 where the disciples
experienced a storm while in a ship crossing from once side to the other.
Jesus was tired after preaching, so he went to sleep in the back. The storm came
up and began to fill the ship with water and they were afraid. Amazed that Jesus
could sleep through this, they woke Him up and accused Him of not caring about
them. In response
Jesus simply said to the storm, “Peace, be still” and the storm
immediately stopped.
If Jesus can stop the storm with three (3) simple words,
He can certainly relieve our trouble, pain, and sadness --
if we take it to Him
If we leave it with Him,
If we Trust Him.
The key to having this happen is FAITH.
Verse 1 is our call to faith. If we believe in God, we must also believe in
Jesus. Believe in His Life -Changing Word.
To believe is to exercise faith. Acts 16:31
tells us we are to believe -in Jesus to be saved. Mark 9:23 tells us that
we are to believe that our prayers will be answered. When we believe in Jesus,
that means we believe that He loves us, that He came to redeem us at the cross,
and that we will be with Him in Heaven. In verse 3 we see the question
that Thomas asked –
How can We know the way to the place Jesus is going? Apparently, he liked
what Jesus said, but he didn’t understand it. He wanted to go to Heaven, but he
didn’t know how to get there. He wanted to know exactly how to find eternal
life. There are so many people out there today who want that same answer. We
have the answer straight from Jesus Himself in verse 6. He said, “I
am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me. Jesus
is not the one who shows the way.
He is The One who is the way. There is no other way.
Many will tell you to believe in Jesus isn’t necessary. All they need do is (
live a good life. ) Sadly, that statement unfortunately
has already condemned them to an eternity in Hell. Our salvation has been bought
and paid for by the death of Jesus on the cross.
It is a gift that has been given to us ONLY by the grace of God.
We can’t earn it by good works or living a good life and we certainly didn’t do
anything to deserve it.
The good news is that Jesus will come to each individual wherever they may be.
Then it’s our faith in Jesus Christ that takes all who believe to where Jesus
is. All that’s necessary is to believe that Jesus is who He says He is, then by
faith, accept Him and what He has done for sinners on the cross. It is also
important that all believers study the Word of God to fully understand His love
for every person in this world and to learn of His plan.
Be disciples, share His message of salvation to the world to overcome our sin
and the evil in this world. There is going to come a day when every individual
will have to stand in judgement before Jesus. Those with a firm faith and belief
will be welcomed by our Lord.
Those who refuse to accept Him will be lost for eternity. All of us know people
who don’t share our beliefs. It is our job to share our faith
and at least attempt to show them the truth. Some will readily accept while
others will stubbornly refuse. We can’t make others believe as we do.
But we'll never know when the seed we planted in their heart and mind may start
to grow. We should never pass up an opportunity
to share our faith with those we meet along the way. Witnessing is difficult
under the best of circumstances. But it gets easier each time you share the
message of Jesus to someone. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can do it
and do it well. Ask for guidance and it will happen.
So, as you leave here today, remember to go through each day of your life giving
all your troubles, concerns and cares to Jesus
I promise you will make it through whatever Satan may want to throw at you.
May God bless you richly today and every day
Sunday October 16th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE MOCKERS OF THE
LAST DAYS
II Peter 3:1-9
This morning we are going to take a look into
II Peter. It’s important to note that each chapter of this book of
prophetic in that it tells readers to prepare for the return of Christ. Our
focus this morning will be in chapter 3 verses 1-9, which read: “ (1)
This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your
pure minds by way of remembrance; (2) that you may be mindful of the
words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets, and of the commandment of
us the Apostles of the Lord and Savior. (3) Knowing this first, that
there shall come in the last days scoffers [ or mockers], walking after their
own lusts, (4) and saying, ‘Where is the Promise of His coming? For since
the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of
the creation.’ (5) For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the
Word of God, the Heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water
and in the water; (6) Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed
with water, perished; (7) but the Heavens and the Earth, which are now,
by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of
judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (8) But, beloved, be not ignorant
of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day. (9) The Lord is not slack concerning His
promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
As Christians, we live for the promise of the return of Jesus. But by believing
that it will happen, we will also face ridicule and mocking from unbelievers
because they dismiss every aspect of our belief in His return and even His
existence. So, what can we do to counteract their arguments?
First, we have to understand that the ‘last days’ as mentioned by Peter in
Verse 3 of our text, encompasses the
time from the ascension of Jesus back to Heaven, until the point of His return
to establish His kingdom on earth. So like Peter, we too live in the last days
and must do the work to which, in keeping with our faith, is to believe that He
will return as He promised and to tell others of His saving grace through the
cross.
In Verse 2 of our text, we see Peter
reminding us of the words of the prophets. He’s telling us that as believers, we
must know and understand the Old Testament along with the New Testament -- they
cannot be separated. And we can’t fully understand the New Testament without
first understanding the Old Testament.
If you go back to chapter in II Peter to 1:16
you will see Peter telling us that the prophesies of old aren’t fables. The
early prophets were inspired by the Holy Spirit; they didn’t make up stories. He
goes on to say that he was a witness to the power and majesty of Jesus at the
transfiguration where he heard the voice of God say, “this is My beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.”
There are many Old Testament references to the return of the Lord to rule the
nations. David spoke of it in Psalm 2;
Isaiah wrote of the time when Christ would set up His Kingdom; Zechariah wrote
of a time when the world would see the wounded Christ. Yet despite evidence,
there are mockers and will be, which by the way, is also a fulfillment of
prophesy. Peter said that they would come so their words in the last days are an
affirmation that Jesus is coming back! The mockers ‘walk after their own lusts’
because they believe that morality doesn’t matter. They don’t believe they will
have to one day stand before our holy God and be judged for the life they lived
because they think they can sin and win.
Our Bible shows us examples of mockers in the past who were wrong and paid
serious consequences. During the time of Noah, as told in Genesis 6-7,
they were lost in the flood. We learn in Genesis 19
that the mockers in Sodom and Gomorrah died in a fiery holocaust. And we
recently learned in Daniel 5 how Belshazzar mocked the power of God and
ended up losing his kingdom.
I John 3:3 shows us that everyone who believes in the promised return of Jesus
must purify themselves, even as Jesus is pure. This means that as we await the
Lord’s return, we are called to live a holy life using Jesus as our example.
Will we always get it right? Of course not. But we must ask for forgiveness and
do our best to live as Jesus lived while here on earth.
In Verse 4 of our text, we see the mocking
of Jesus’ return as the unbelievers believe there can’t possibly be a promise of
His coming because things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation.’ This is how they justify their unholy behavior. If they were to take
the time to read the Bible, they would learn of the many signs, promises, and
warnings regarding Jesus’ return. There are the signs that Jesus spoke of in the
Olivet discourse in Matthew 24. Jesus warns us in the Parable of the Ten
Virgins in Matthew 25 that we must be prepared and watch because we don’t
know the day or hour when He will return. In John
14:1-3 we see the promise Jesus made when he was with his disciples
in the upper room that He was going to prepare a place for them – and for us
too! Paul tells us in I Thessalonians 4:13-18
that Jesus will come back to take all believers with Him at the Rapture.
Even though there have been over 2,000 years since this promise was made, we
can’t lose faith. We must always remain faithful.
Peter tells us in Verse 7 of our text how in Noah’s day, the earth was
cleansed by the waters of the flood. But at the Second Coming, it will be
refined by Fire, Peter doesn’t say that everything will be burned into
extinction, but he does say that at God’s command, all sinful people will be
destroyed by his fiery judgment. As we continue to study Revelation, we will
learn how John described this fire.
To faithful believer, it may seem that God moves slow -- in the past and even
today as we face persecution for our faith. But God is not slow. Peter reminds
us in Verse 8 that God works on His timetable, and it isn’t like ours. He
specifically says that to God one day is like 1,000 years and 1,000 years is
like a day. Do I understand this? No but it tells me that as God works, He
always works through the past, present, and future. So, relying on our faith, we
must accept that His time is not our time. Throughout the waiting we must also
understand that God wants as many people to come to faith as is possible. This
means we can just sit and wait for the return of Jesus. We are to be examples of
Him and how He can change lives. We must witness to as many people as we can so
they also can experience the love, joy, and peace of a personal relationship
with Him.
Finally, we must be sure that we are personally ready to meet Jesus at any time
– maybe before this day is over – but also plan our course of service as though
He may not return for many years. Keep your faith strong and let people see
Jesus through you. It’s not going to be easy, but it is so important that we
share our faith despite being mocked for our beliefs.
May God continue to watch over you and bless you richly as you continue in
service to Him.
Sunday October 9th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
BLESSINGS OR BLIGHT
Psalm 1
This morning I would like to share with you one of the most profound truths in
the Bible -- which is the amazing joy and happiness that comes from living a
godly life and refusing to listen to those who dismiss or ridicule him. Our text
comes from Psalm 1 which reads: “(1) Blessed is the man who walks not in
the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of the sinners, nor sits in
the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in His law does He meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a
tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper. (4)
The ungodly are not so; but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
(5) Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in
the congregation of the righteous. (6) For the Lord knows the way of the
righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
God doesn’t judge people on the basis of race, sex, or national origin. He
judges everyone on the basis of their faith in Him and how they respond to His
will as revealed by the Holy Spirit in the Bible. Those who diligently try to
obey God’s will are going to be blessed. They’re like healthy, fruit-bearing
trees planted along a riverbank with strong roots, and God promises to watch
over them and guide their lives. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey
God. will have meaningless lives that blow away like dust.
Only two paths lie before all of us: God’s way of obedience or the way of
Satan’s rebellion and destruction. Those of us in this room know that choosing
God’s path is the only way to find spiritual healing, daily guidance, a joyous
relationship with Him, and eternal life.
Verses two and three provide remarkably simple wisdom: the more we delight in
God’s presence, the more fruitful we will be. On the other hand, the more we
allow those who ridicule God and our faith to affect our thoughts and attitudes,
the more we will be cut off from our source of nourishment, joy, and peace. Yes,
we must engage and welcome unbelievers if we are to witness to them; but we must
not adopt their sinful behavior and insulting sarcasm. If you want a life of
despair, be like the cynics and critics; if you want God’s joy and peace, spend
time with those who love God, His Word, and His people.
We learn how to follow God by meditating on His Word; something that is
exceedingly difficult in an age of sound bites and banner headlines. Meditating
means spending time reading, thinking, marking, reviewing, and discussing with
other believers, what we have read. It means asking how we must change and grow
so we will live as God wants. Meditating on and understanding God’s Word are the
first steps toward applying it to our everyday life. If we want to follow God
more closely, it’s important that we take the time to learn and understand what
He says.
The “law of the Lord” spoken of in verse 2
refers to the entirety of the Bible. In it, God reveals to everyone His will,
His absolute truths, His divine nature, and best of all, His love for us. The
more we know of the whole scope of God’s Word, the more resources we will have
to guide us in our daily actions and decisions. The phase in
verse 3 “whatever they do prospers” doesn’t
mean that God’s people have immunity from failures or difficulties. Nor does it
guarantee health, wealth, or constant happiness. What the Bible means by
prosperity is this: When we live our lives using God’s wisdom as learned in the
Bible, the results we get will be good for us. We will not only be able to
weather every storm that comes into our lives, we will also have a peace that
settles over us even in the darkest of times because we know that God is in
control. And we will receive God’s approval. Just as a tree soaks up water and
bears fruit, we are to soak up God’s Word and produce actions and attitudes that
honor Him. To achieve anything worthwhile, requires that we have God’s Word in
our hearts and our minds so it can then be transferred to our actions.
As you read and study the Bible you will often see references to “chaff.” We see
it used symbolically in verse 4 of our text. Chaff is the outer shell - or husk
- that must be removed to get to the valuable kernels of grain such as wheat. In
ancient times, chaff was removed by a process called threshing and winnowing.
After plants were cut, they were crushed by a threshing sledge, throwing the
pieces of the husk into the air. Chaff is exceptionally light and would then be
carried away by the slightest wind. The good grain is then left to be collected.
Throughout the Bible chaff is a symbol of a faithless life that drifts along
worthlessly and has no direction. The good grain is a symbol of a faithful life
that God can use. Choose His direction, and your life will be fruitful in the
eyes of God.
Those who do not choose God’s way will be doomed for eternity as we see in
verses 5 and 6. The psalmist writes that sinners and saints will be
separated, with blessings waiting for those who chose to put their faith and
trust in God and believe that Jesus is our path to salvation. Jesus is our
example of how to live a righteous life. Wise people turn to the Savior and by
doing so, faith in Him removes any uncertainty about how to live their lives and
teaches them what will happen when they choose God.
Trusting God and knowing that He is watching the paths we walk each day will
give us joy, even when we may be facing trials. God doesn’t watch over us to
criticize what we do wrong. In fact, He sees us with loving eyes, protecting,
and caring for us, and keeping us from stumbling on our journey. If you take
time each day to look for signs of His care for you, there is no doubt that you
will see things that He did to get you through your day. Did you react fast
enough to avoid a car accident? Were you able to pay a bill that caused you
concern? Was there a problem between you and someone you care about but were
able to solve it and go on to mend the relationship? My friends, that is God’s
hand, through power of the Holy Spirit, working in your life. So, each one of us
can find comfort in knowing that He is watching, guiding, and helping us on our
daily journey.
As you study you Bible, you will be amazed as you come to see how God’s plans
for us are revealed from Adam and Eve through to the second coming of Jesus. You
will be able to see how He worked His plan for our salvation that allows us to
be free from sin and live with Him for eternity. And we can live our life with
joy and happiness, even amid tragedy and sadness, because we know that He cares
for us and has planned for our future with Him. He will never force us to choose
Him over the ways of this world. But He does show us the difference in the
outcome of what choice we do make. Don’t be afraid to choose God and don’t be
ashamed because you did. In the end, whatever criticism, or problems the world
gives you because of your choice will fade and your reward will be rich.
Sunday October 2nd 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE SIMPLICITY OF
SALVATION
John 3:1-21
As Christians, our primary task is to share the message of Jesus and tell others
how they can receive salvation. Many of us are intimidated because we don’t
think we have enough knowledge to explain how others can obtain salvation and
forgiveness of sins. But the truth is, the message and the path to salvation is
all that complicated. Our text this morning comes from
John 3:1-21 which says: “(1)There was a man of the Pharisees,
named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (2)That same came to Jesus by
night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God;
for no man can do these miracles that You do, except God be with Him. (3)Jesus
answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (4)Nicodemus said unto
Him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his
mother’s womb, and be born? (5)Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say
unto you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the Kingdom of God. (6)That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. (7)Marvel not that I said unto
you, you must be born again. (8)The wind blows where it listeth, and you
hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell from where it comes, and whither it
goes; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. (9)Nicodemus answered and
said unto Him, how can these things be? (10)Jesus answered and said unto
him, Are you a Master of Israel and knowest not these things? (11)Verily,
verily, I say unto you, we speak that we do know and testify that we have seen;
and you receive not our witness. (12)If I told you earthly things, and
you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you Heavenly things? (13)And
no man has ascended up to Heaven, but He who came down from Heaven, even the Son
of Man which is in Heaven. (14)And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; (15)that whosoever
believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (16) For God so
loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17)For God sent not
His son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might
be saved. (18)He who believes on Him is not condemned; but he who
believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the names of
the Only Begotten Son of God. (19)And this is the condemnation, that
Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. (20)For everyone who does evil hates the Light,
neither cometh to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (21)But
he who does truth comes to the Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that
they are wrought in God.”
This is arguably the most familiar passage in the entire Bible and
verse 16 was probably the very first verse most
of us have memorized. We learn about a meeting between Jesus and a man named
Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and a member of its high counsel, called the
Sanhedrin. The Pharisees were a Jewish sect known for their strict observance of
religious ceremonies and practices, adherence to oral laws and traditions, and
their belief in an afterlife and the coming Messiah. The Apostle Paul was a
Pharisee. Pharisees differed from the Sadducees who were the priests and
aristocrats who rejected the oral laws and traditions, denied there was an
afterlife, and didn’t believe in the coming Messiah. And they strongly opposed
the Sadducees. The Pharisees were often consulted when it came to matters of
Jewish law because of their practice and belief since the time of Moses. But
most of them opposed Jesus and were intensely jealous of Him because He
undermined their authority and often publicly challenged their views.
But Nicodemus was searching, and believed Jesus had some answers, so he arranged
to meet Him secretly at night so the Sadducees wouldn’t notice. It was during
this meeting Jesus explained beginning in verse 3
that in order to see the kingdom of God, one had to be born again. Nicodemus was
confused as he didn’t understand how one could enter the womb to be born again.
When Jesus spoke of being born of water and the Spirit in verse 5, He was saying
that one is born of water – or the physical birth of the womb – then by the
cleansing action of the Holy Spirit. Some will say that the water refers to
baptism and is needed to be saved. It is a wonderful public expression of faith
and commitment to Jesus, but it is not mandatory to get into Heaven. Jesus
explained for Nicodemus -- and for us today -- the importance of a spiritual
rebirth by saying people enter the kingdom not by living a better life, but by
receiving a new life from God through the Holy Spirit.
In verse 8 we see how Jesus uses wind to explain that we can’t control the work
of the Holy Spirit as He works in way we cannot predict or understand. Just as
we didn’t control our own birth, we didn’t or can’t control our spiritual birth.
It’s a gift from God through the Holy Spirit. We see in verse 9 that no one is
beyond the touch of God’s Spirit. Have you ever chosen to not pray or talk to a
person because they’re too closed off to respond to the gospel? Never assume
that someone won’t respond because God, through the Holy Spirt, can reach
anyone. So, we must pray diligently for whomever we witness to and always be an
example to everyone with whom we are in contact. God may use us personally or
take it on Himself to touch those we consider unreachable.
It is clear in verses 10-11 that while Nicodemus was a teacher and knew
the Old Testament thoroughly, he didn’t understand what it said about the
Messiah. Intellectual knowledge doesn’t guarantee true understanding or
salvation. Yes, know your Bible, but even more important, you need a
relationship with God so you can receive the salvation that He offers.
We see in verse 14-15 Jesus how reminds
Nicodemus of the plague of snakes God sent to punish the Israelites’ rebellious
attitudes while they wandered in the desert. By obeying God’s command to look up
at the lifted bronze snake and believing God would heal them if they did, they
would survive the deadly snake bite. Jesus is telling him – and us – how our
salvation happens when we look up to Jesus and remember that he was lifted on
the cross so that He could save us, and that belief in Him will save all
sinners.
Verse 16 brings the entire Bible into focus. It tells us that God’s love
isn’t static or self-centered, it reaches out and draws people in. We see God
setting the pattern of true love, the basis of all love relationships. When you
love someone dearly, you are willing to give to them freely, to the point of
self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His Son and Jesus accepted our
punishment, paid the price for our sins, then offered us a new life bought by
His sacrifice. When we share this message, like Jesus, we must be willing to
give up our own comfort and security so that others might join us in receiving
God’s live. To believe means to put our trust and confidence in Him that He
alone can save us. It causes us to put Jesus in charge of our present plans and
our eternal destiny. It is both trusting His words as reliable and relying on
Him for the power to change.
Finally, we learn that people often try to protect themselves from their fears
by putting their faith in what they do, or things they have. But good deeds,
skill, intelligence, money, or possessions won’t save us. Only God can save us
from eternal condemnation by acceptance of what Jesus did on the cross. Many
don’t want their lives exposed to God’s light out of fear of what will be
revealed, or they simply don’t want to change. Don’t be surprised when people
are threatened by our desire to obey God and do what’s right, likely they’re
afraid of what you might expose in them. In such cases we should keep praying
that they will come to see how much better it is to live in the light of Jesus
than the darkness of sin.
The message of Jesus is simple. It is a gift from God, which we don’t deserve.
By His grace, all we need do is accept what Jesus did on the cross, ask Him to
come into our lives and change us, and make the effort to live as He did until
the day He calls us home to Him.
Sunday September 25th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
FROM CHEATING TO
CHARITY
Luke 19:1-10
How many of us enjoy paying our taxes? Instead, we see taxes as a necessary
evil. In the days of Jesus, tax collectors – or publicans as they were called
then – were among the most hated of people. Interesting tidbit: Matthew was a
tax collector before he became a disciple and eventually writing the Gospel.
This morning I’d like to talk to you about a crooked tax collector named
Zacchaeus who had the great fortune to meet Jesus, changing him forever. Our
text this morning is found in Luke 19:1-10: “(1) And Jesus entered
and passed through Jericho. (2) And behold, there was a man named
Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. (3)
And he sought to see Jesus who He was and could not for the press, because he
was little of stature. (4) And he ran before and climbed up into a
sycamore tree to see Him: for He was to pass that way. (5) And when Jesus
came to the place, He looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, ‘Zacchaeus,
make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at your house.’ (6) And
he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully. (7) And when
they saw it, they all murmured, saying, that He was gone to be guest with a man
who is a sinner. (8) And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; ‘Behold
Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from
any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.’ (9) And Jesus said
unto him, ‘This day is salvation come to this house, for so much as he also is a
son of Abraham. (10) For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost.’.”
Each of the four gospel writers chose unique events or people to highlight the
life of Jesus. Luke is the only one who tells us about Zacchaeus whom Jesus
encountered on his final trip to Jerusalem. We learn a lot about Zacchaeus: he
was a rich tax collector whose greed made him dishonest, he was curious about
Jesus, he was short, and he was despised by the population. He showed up late to
the parade which allowed the crowd to show their disdain for him by denying him
access to the front row. So, we have a man that was hated by all he encountered
because he was a crooked tax collector. In verse 3 and 4 we see that he had a
curiosity about Jesus, and because he was short, he had to hurry and climb a
tree in order to see the Lord before the parade passed him by.
The story of Zacchaeus reveals an interesting similarity between us and him.
While imagining ourselves as a tax collector or a rich person in that day may be
a stretch, we can at least identify with being curious about Jesus, being
troubled by some personal limitation such as height, and being rejected by
people. If we do this, we can then ask ourselves what lengths we would go to in
order to meet Jesus. Zacchaeus’ passion for money apparently wasn’t as
satisfying as he wanted it to be, so he sought out Jesus perhaps hoping that the
Lord could set him free. And then in verse 5 we see that when Jesus saw him in
the tree, He told him to hurry up and come down because He was going to be his
houseguest. Imagine how you would react if you knew Jesus was coming to your
house. Growing up my mother would tell me to clean my room so I wouldn’t be
embarrassed were Jesus to come.
This encounter was clearly orchestrated by the Holy Spirit, who knew Zacchaeus
had an unfulfilled need in his heart, then put in that tree at that time. We
also see an example of the Kingship of Jesus when He invites Himself to be a
houseguest. Only Kings of the day would do such a thing. In verse 6 we witness
the conversion of Zacchaeus as he quickly came down from the tree and joyfully
received Jesus. But in verse 7 we see that the people weren’t happy to see Jesus
associating with this hated sinner. Typically, when we are told of murmuring in
the Bible, it is referring to sin. So, the public was sinning by complaining
about Jesus’ meeting with this sinner. But Jesus, then and now, never caters to
the whim or opinions of the public. Verse 8 details the profound effect
this meeting with Jesus had on Zacchaeus. He immediately volunteered to give
half of all he to the poor and restoring by fourfold what he had falsely taken
from people. Why four times the amount? Well, Roman law required a fourfold
restitution, but Levitical Law only demanded one fifth to be restored. So,
imposing the more sever measure on himself showed true repentance for what he
had done.
In verses 9-10 we see Jesus’ response to the
murmuring of the crowd. As a son of Abraham, Zacchaeus has as much of a right to
salvation as any other person in Israel. As a tax collector, the religious
leaders may have shut him out, but Jesus didn’t. This is a message to all of us
who are willing to judge the sins of others. It’s not our job. That is reserved
for Jesus as He clearly stated in verse 10. Jesus came to this world to seek and
save that which was lost. He did that by way of the cross and it is available to
all who choose to accept Him as Lord and Savior. And as Christians, we too
should not judge but look to save by sharing the message of Jesus.
We don’t know the details of Jesus’ time with Zacchaeus, but our final view of
the tax collector shows us a changed man. His generosity and restitution didn’t
come from someone trying to gain standing; instead, it shows us someone who had
been profoundly forgiven. We should all ask ourselves how our encounter with
Jesus changed us and radically transformed our relationships. If we can’t answer
that then we need examine our relationship with Him and ask if we have truly
accepted Him as Lord of our life.
Even when all we want to do is see Jesus, encountering Him personally always
comes as a surprise. Zacchaeus certainly didn’t expect that Jesus would stop the
parade, address him by name, and invite Himself to his home. When we review our
own encounters with Jesus, we may find that a small step of faith toward Him
brings a penetrating and revealing response from Him. He meets our mild
curiosity, fearful examination, or guilty confrontation with a shocking
invitation to be known, accepted, and forgiven by Him.
Many people today believe that they don’t need Jesus to get to heaven. All they
need do is believe in God and do good deeds. But this simply isn’t true.
Romans 3:23 tell us that we all come short of
the glory of God; and in John 14:6 Jesus said “…I am the Way, the Truth
and the Life; no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.” Only acknowledgement of
Jesus as the Son of God and acceptance of forgiveness of sins because of what He
did on the cross will bring us to God. We don’t deserve it; nor can we earn it.
Salvation comes to us only by the grace of God as told in
Ephesians 2:8-9: “(8) For by grace are you saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. (9) Not of
works, lest any man should boast.” We aren’t to brag about our own abilities and
strengths. We are to brag only about what was done for us by Jesus on the cross.
The gift of salvation is available to everyone regardless of their position in
life or sins they have committed. But be careful. Being saved isn’t a license to
continue to freely commit sins. Once saved, will we never sin again? Of course –
we are not yet perfect. But when it happens, we are to ask for forgiveness and
try to do better in the future.
If salvation came to Zacchaeus, it can come to anyone who chooses to accept
Jesus. If you haven’t yet let Him into your heart and life, make that decision
to do it today. Don’t waste any more time. There will soon come a point when it
will be too late. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by. Let Jesus bring
salvation to you now. By doing so, you will have peace and joy that you have
never known.
May God bless you richly and keep you close to Him.
Sunday September 18th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE BEST IS YET TO COME
I Peter 1:1-9; 5:8-11
No matter where we turn today, we can see hardship and people suffering. Each of
us have experienced challenging times, and we have family and friends who have
as well. As Christians, we were told by Jesus that the Christian path will not
be easy. But we’re also promised that we will have help. The disciple Peter
wrote two letters that we find in the New Testament. Our focus this morning will
be on the first one because it gives us some good advice about overcoming the
trials that we have to bear. Our text comes from I Peter 1:1-9 and
5:8-11: “(1:1) Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers
scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia [he is
referring to Christians who had settled throughout the Roman empire that he had
not personally met] (2) Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit [meaning those who have been made
holy and purified from sin through the Holy Spirit] unto obedience and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; grace unto you, and peace be
multiplied. (3) Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a lively hope
[referring to our heritage as children of God because of what Jesus did for us
on the cross] by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (4) To
an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved
in Heaven for you, (5) who are kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [this is a reference to the
time just before the Rapture] (6) Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now
for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations;
(7) that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and
glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ [in other words, we will be rewarded for
our trials when we see Jesus]. (8) Whom having not seen, you love
[meaning we haven’t personally seen Jesus, yet we believe and love Him]; in
Whom, though you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory. (9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your souls [refers to the time when we will see Christ and receive
our glorified bodies]. (5:8) Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the
Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour; (9) whom
resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are
accomplished in your brethren who are in the world (10) But the God of
all grace, Who has called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that
you have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
(11) To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever Amen.”
Peter begins by telling all Christians of the promises of God and ends by
telling us that while there will be trials, the ultimate victory belongs to us
for overcoming whatever the world throws our way. He is telling us that there
will be suffering in the Christian life we have chosen but we are to look beyond
the suffering because the truth is, the best is yet to come.
There’s no denying that we will suffer because we are part of the fallen race
that came to be due to the choice Adam made in the garden of Eden. When we think
about what we have been promised when this life is over, we can only imagine
what it must have been like to live in that garden. Like that time before the
fall, we can look forward to no more sickness, no more sorrow, and no more
death. All our needs will be supplied, and we will be with Jesus and all our
loved ones who have gone before us.
Until the time when we die or are called by Jesus at the Rapture, we suffer
because of the attacks by Satan (Satan is referenced in 5:8 as the
adversary like a roaring lion). He is trying to pull us away from God as he did
with Adam and Eve. And even though he knows that God will defeat him, his goal
is to take as many people as possible down with him.
While we have been promised glory at the end of our time, we also have promises
to help get us through this period of suffering. Paul tells us in
II Corinthians 12:9 that Jesus said: ‘…My grace
is sufficient for you; for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly
therefore, Paul would rather glory in his infirmities that the power of Christ
may rest upon him.’ We are assured that the grace of God will give us, through
the Holy Spirit, the strength we need to overcome the trials and heartaches we
must endure in this life because when we see Jesus, we will know that the
suffering will have been worth it.
God’s Word gives us promises about what we have to look forward to. Peter tells
us in 1:9 that our suffering has an expiration date which when we pass to
heaven, or at the Rapture, when we will be called by Jesus and immediately
transformed and taken to heaven to be with Him. We can trust Peter because
remember that he was present at the time of the Transfiguration, which is
recorded in Matthew 17, where he was given a glimpse of what it will be
like when we are changed into our glorified bodies. Jesus tells us in
John 14:1-3 that He is preparing a place for
us. And Paul tells us in Philippians 1:23
that it is far better to be with Christ then to live in this world. Paul also
tells us in II Corinthians 5:8 that to be
absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So you see, our future is
as bright as the promises of God that we find in His Word.
Through our suffering, we are being prepared for our glorified life in eternity.
1 Peter 5:10 shows that our suffering is making us perfect, or mature
in our faith, establishing and strengthening, or building our faith, and
settling us, or putting us on a firm foundation that cannot be moved. We must
also remember that because we are like Christ and heirs to all that He has as
the Son of God, we must also suffer in this life as He did. Now will we have to
suffer crucifixion? Highly unlikely. But our lives will have trials and
heartaches. Romans 8:28-29 tells us that our suffering makes us like
Jesus. Paul also tells us that as joint heirs, we may have “groaning,” or
suffering now, but will have glory later. What makes it sometimes difficult to
comprehend is that we have a clear understanding of the suffering we must
endure; but the glory that we are promised is way beyond our human
understanding. And that’s where our faith come into play.
We fail to understand that all earthly gain and glory is only temporary, and it
will be replaced with the glory and dominion of Jesus Christ through God the
Father, and it will last for all eternity. Yes, this life is hard and even close
to unbearable sometimes. But we have so much to look forward to because of what
Jesus did for us on the cross. Without His sacrifice for our sin, we would be
lost for eternity instead of spending eternity as children of God.
I can promise you that if you have yet to experience a hardship that causes you
to question your faith, you surely will at some point before this life is over.
I can also tell you that God understands why you might question Him. It’s all
part of our maturing in faith and being prepared for Heaven. Will you get mad at
God sometime? Yes. We all have points where we question our faith. But it’s at
those times that we must lean on Him for guidance and strength.
I encourage you to keep your faith strong and always study your Bible to learn
and know the promises that we have been given as Christians and followers of
Jesus. It will be worth it all when we are taken to meet Jesus face-to-face and
see that our faith will be made real right before our eyes.
May God bless you and keep you close to Him each and every day.
Sunday September 11th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE DIFFERENCE
I Thessalonians 4:13-18
Today is the day that we all refer to as 9-11. It is one of those days that we
will always remember with vivid memories of what we were doing and where we were
when the events of that day occurred. Very few of those kinds of days, occur
which is why they bring back such powerful memories. As in the past 20 years,
today the names of those who died will again be read aloud so that they will
always be remembered.
Death is the most difficult problem we face in life. It’s not a pleasant subject
to think about, and wounds that happen when a loved one is taken are deep and
take a long time to heal.
Our Bible offers us comfort for this most difficult of times. We find in in I
Thessalonians 4:13-18 where Paul wrote: “ (13) But I would not have
you to be ignorant brethren, concerning them which are asleep (which refers to
Believers who have died), that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope
(referring to unbelievers). (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and
rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.
(15) For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are
alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are
asleep. (16) For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first; (17) then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever
be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
Death forces us to face the reality of the suffering we must bear in this
earthly live but at the same time, Paul shows how it allows us to look beyond
life as we currently know it to what it will be like in Heaven. It also shows us
in verse 13 that Believers have hope that unbelievers do not. And it
confirms that Jesus will return again!
To talk about hope when we have lost a loved one sometimes leaves us feeling
empty. But while it’s more than difficult to let them go, it is that hope that
allows us to come to terms with the loss, knowing we will be together again.
Some people mistakenly think that Christians don’t grieve and feel sorrow when
loved ones die but we all know it is not true. Even Jesus cried at the grave of
Lazarus. The difference is that while unbelievers grieve and see death as an
end, Christians grieve knowing the promises of God will one day become known to
us. While it certainly doesn’t negate the sorrow of the passing of those we hold
dear, we know that better things will come. II Corinthian 5:8 says, “We
are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be
present wit the Lord.” Death for Believers means they are now present with
Jesus. And for those Believers left to mourn the loss, we can take comfort that
should we pass before Jesus returns, we too will be with Jesus and see our loved
ones again! Unbelievers don’t have this to look forward to.
Verse 14 of our text explains for us why we have this hope. First, the
very foundation of Christianity is the death and resurrection of Jesus because
it is the proof of life after death in a glorified state for all believers that
will never end. Then we see the reference to the Rapture of the Church, or the
resurrection of all Believers. One would ask if II Cor
5:8 tells us that believers go to heaven when they die, why will
those how have died have to rise at the Rapture? The answer is that at death,
the soul and the spirit of Believers instantly go to be with Jesus while the
physical body goes back to dust. At the Rapture, God will replace what was the
physical body with a glorified body to be united with the soul and the spirit.
The soul and the spirit will accompany the Lord Jesus down close to the earth to
be united with a gloried body, which will then make the Believer whole again. Do
I understand this completely? No. In fact, it’s heard to picture in my mind a
soul, spirit, and glorified body let alone how these pieces will all be united.
But I trust the Bible. I believe that it will happen as God has described, and
one day I will understand it completely. I also think the word ‘hope’ isn’t
strong enough to show how strong the word of God is for us. Perhaps trust,
confidence, or reliance are better choices to underscore the truth of what we
find in God’s word. Nonetheless, whether you want to focus on hope, trust, or
confidence it doesn’t change what God tells us in His word. If the Bible tells
us these things, we believe these things. It is a promise that we can fully rely
upon to come true.
We see in verse 15 that those who have
already passed will precede those who are alive at the time of the calling of
Jesus – or the Rapture. Then we are given the details in
verses 16 and 17 of how it will occur. There will be a shout, an
archangel – maybe Michael or Gabriel – and a trumpet will sound. Then the dead
in Christ, followed by the living believers will be caught up to meet Jesus, and
all will receive new glorified bodies. I Corinthians 15:42-49 and 1
John 3:2 give us more details of what these new bodies are all about. The
bottom line is that we will be like Jesus, and we will live forever.
Finally in verse 18, we are told to use what the Bible shows us to
comfort those among us who are suffering the loss of loved ones. Yes, it’s hard
to let them go and say goodbye, but God tells us that we will be together again.
That is the difference between being a Believer in Christ and being an
unbeliever. Our faith and believe is not a crutch to allow us to deal with the
loss; it is a fact that God has shown us. Because Jesus, being sinless, died to
give us salvation that we don’t deserve, we have eternal life with Him and all
who have gone before us to look forward to. It will happen whether we pass on
before His return, or if we will be caught up to meet Him at the Rapture, should
His return happen before we are called Home.
Trust what you read in the Bible to be the truth of God. You may be mocked for
your belief but so what. There will come a day when your faith will be rewarded.
The sad fact is that there will come a point when all unbelievers will learn the
truth that we already know. Unfortunately for them, it will be too late because
they won’t be able to change their minds when they see Jesus face to face.
While we still walk this earth, we are to share this message with unbelievers so
that they too have the opportunity to learn the truth. Many will not believe
what we have to say. But we never know what can happen when we plant that seed
in their heart and mind. By sharing the message of faith, there is always the
possibility that the seed we gave them will take root and change the person into
a Believer. We may never know until we get to heaven if that seed has taken
root.
Trust the promises of God and use them to share His word with those that are
searching.
Sunday September 4th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
COPING IN THE LAST
DAYS
Luke 21:25-33
As we look around us it’s easy to see that this world has gone crazy. The truth
is, all that we see around us is happening exactly as God has planned, which is
telling us that He is in control. It’s a fact that before Jesus calls us home,
the condition of the world will get worse. So, in order to cope during these
last days, let’s take look at what Jesus tells us in
Luke 21:25-33. It reads: “(25) And there shall be signs in the
sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the Earth distress of nations,
with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (26) men’s hearts failing
them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming in the earth;
for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken. (27) And then, shall they see
the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (28) And
when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draws nigh. (29) And He spoke to them a Parable;
‘Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; (30) when they now shoot forth,
you see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. (31)
So likewise, ye, when you see these things come to pass, know ye that the
Kingdom of God is near at hand. (32) Verily I say unto you, this
generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. (33) Heaven and
earth shall pass away; but My words shall not pass away.’ ”
As we look around at things that are unfolding, sometimes it’s exciting,
confusing, and sometimes it’s downright scary. We can see that fear is reaching
epidemic proportions. People are afraid for their safety, because what’s wrong
is now right and what was right is now wrong. There’s also a serious decline in
moral standards, and people are becoming more restless. But by studying our
Bible, we can see that prophecies are being fulfilled, confirming our faith and
our belief that Jesus is coming soon; and despite the decline of law and order
and instances of religious persecution, we know that the return of Jesus is
getting closer, and we can look forward to His reign of peace and justice.
So how are we to cope with all this? We start by trusting that God indeed is in
control and studying our Bible to understand the signs of the times.
Jesus tells us that there will be signs in nature, which Luke recorded earlier
in verse 11 of chapter 21. Some of
these signs include earthquakes, famines, and pestilences, and fearful sights
and great signs shall these be from Heaven. We’ve seen COVID, and now Monkeypox.
And all this talk of climate change – it’s nothing more than a man-made argument
for things that they refuse to understand. The climate has always been changing.
Throughout my own life I recall times when we have major snow storms some years,
with not even a flake of snow in others. As bad as it was for us, Super Storm
Sandy was not the greatest storm to ever hit the east coast. There were
comparable storms in the 1950s and if you do further research, you will most
assuredly find others. If the oceans were rising and are going to put us all
underwater in a matter of a few years, ask yourself why the rich and famous
continue to build their mega mansions on the water. According to certain climate
change enthusiasts, the world was to have been underwater by 2016 but we’re
still here and we didn’t have to wade through water to get to church this
morning did we. What’s even more ridiculous is that they think they can control
it! Only God controls the climate and those that think they can do something
about it are not believers in His power and sovereignty over this earth.
Verses 29 and 30 of our text tell us we will see signs in the nations.
The trees that Jesus speaks of in His parable are nations. Israel is the fig
tree, and all trees refer to all the nations. Recall from our study of Daniel
that there are particular nations that will play prominent roles in the end
times. As we look at world events, it does appear that God is lining them up for
what is to happen. Other things we are seeing include the explosion in
technological advances and an increased effort to become “one world.” This is
all a precursor to the reign of the antichrist during the Great Tribulation. If
we are paying attention, it does appear that the return of Christ is closer than
it has ever been. But we can take heart and not be afraid.
We are told to ‘look up and lift up our heads for our redemption draws nigh’ in
verse 28 of our text. Here Jesus is telling us that we can be encouraged
by what is happening rather than be afraid and worried. He tells us in
verse 31 that when we see these things come to
pass, we will know that the Kingdom of God is near at hand. When He said,
‘Heaven and earth shall pass away’ He is telling us that the earth as we know it
will change from a world ruled by the evil of Satan to one ruled by the love and
justice of God through Jesus Christ. If we know Jesus as our personal Savior, we
are secure in our position as children of God and have no need to worry. We can
be encouraged because the time for His return is getting closer. Our job is to
be ready and to share the message of Jesus to all who are searching.
By being diligent in our study of God’s word, not only in church but daily on
our own, our faith and courage will be strengthened. When Jesus said in verse 33
that His words shall not pass away, He is confirming that the Word of God is
more sure of fulfillment than even the stability of Heaven and earth. Romans
10:17 tells us that faith comes from learning what is contained in the Word
of God. And Psalm 119:9-11 shows us that the Word of God will cleanse our
sin and keep us from further sin.
We must also be diligent inside and outside of church. Attending church allows
us to worship with those who share our faith and get encouragement from one
another as we pray and help one another. It then allows other people to see that
we are different because of our faith, especially in these last days. The
strength that we get from our faith will not only calm fears we may have during
these uncertain times, but it will also serve to help others because they see
that we are able to remain calm in the uncertainty. That can open a door that
allows us to show how we can help them by telling them the way to peace that
they can come to know through Jesus Christ.
Jesus provides us many ways of coping with the uncertainty and fear during the
last days. It’s important for us to know these ways then share them with others
who may not have faith or know Jesus in order that they too can learn who Jesus
is and show them how He can do the same for them. Witnessing is sometimes
difficult but if just one person is changed because of what we can show them,
it’s worth the effort. Those of us who have been blessed because of having Jesus
Christ as our personal Savior have a duty to share His message of salvation and
hope with others who are searching. Each time we share His message with someone,
our own lives are enriched.
Continue to study your Bible with an open heart and mind and you will always
learn something new. No matter how many times you read a passage, there is
always more to see. It is nothing short of a miracle how God’s word has
withstood the test of time and can be proven true time and time again. It is the
foundation that we all stand on knowing that what is written is directly from
God and will never change no matter how people and the world around us change.
Each time you open the book and read it; you will always receive a blessing from
Him.
So, keep looking up because Jesus is coming for you and for me. Exactly when, I
can’t say. But I do know that because He told us He will return, we can trust
His word. We must each live our lives so that when He does call us, we will be
ready and not be ashamed.
May God bless you and give you the strength and courage to live a Christ-like
life until He returns for His own.
Sunday August 28th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
A LITTLE WHILE
Hebrews 10:32-37
Over the past several weeks, we have spent time talking about the second coming.
With the difficulties we face in life, it’s sometimes easy lose faith as we
await the return of Jesus. This morning I would like to share some things that
will help to strengthen your faith as you wait and help you to truly believe
that Jesus really is coming again.
Our text comes from Paul’s letter to the Hebrews 10:32-37 where he wrote:
“(32) But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after you were
illuminated, you endured a great fight of afflictions; (33) partly, while
you were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly,
while you became companions of them who were so used. (34) For you had
compassion for me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods,
knowing in yourselves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring
substance. (35) Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great
recompence of reward. (36) For you have need of patience, that after you
have done the will of God, you might receive the Promise. (37) For yet a
little while, and He who shall come will come, and will not tarry.”
Paul wrote this letter to people who were suffering for their faith. They had
been persecuted, ridiculed, and lost their possessions all because of their
Christian faith. What Paul wrote almost 2,000 years ago, applies to Christians
today as all over the world they are still being ridiculed for their faith. Many
have even been killed. While we are afforded religious freedom in our
Constitution, more and more Christians are ridiculed for our beliefs and at
times stopped from the free exercise of our faith. I don’t doubt that our
Founders are turning over in their graves to see how this country has devolved.
Paul was thrown in prison for teaching the Gospel of Jesus and he was grateful
that these Hebrews offered their compassion to him even though it caused them
financial loss after having accepted Christ.
So, He was writing to assure them – and more importantly to us today – that
while it may be tempting to give up on our faith, we can take heart that there
will come a day that we will be rewarded for whatever persecution we must
endure. We need to have patience, because by continuing to do the will of God,
we will be rewarded with the promise that Jesus is indeed coming again.
We see in verse 37 that it will be “a little while” and Jesus will
return. This is a reference to the Rapture when believers will be taken to
Heaven before the start of the great tribulation. And we can take heart that if
the Holy Spirit compelled Paul to write these words almost 2,000 years ago that
today the return Jesus is much closer than we think!
Jesus is going to come again. He died and was resurrected so we could be freed
from the sin that would prevent us from eternal life. This same Jesus is well
aware what it is to be persecuted and afflicted because of our trust in God. He
lived what we have to live experiencing joy, sadness, loss, and pain; so, we can
trust Him to always watch over us and help us through the most difficult of
times.
Our Bible is packed full of passages showing us the importance of the promised
return of Jesus. One out of 30 Bible verses teaches it. His return is mentioned
eight times more than is His birth. In 216 chapters, there are 318 references
about His return. And there are entire chapters that are devoted to it. Jesus
Himself, as well as angels and apostles tell us of His return. So as
Bible-believing Christians, we can trust that Jesus is coming back. But we all
want to know when.
It’s human nature to want to know when it will happen. Yet nowhere in the Bible
do we find a date. God knows us better than we know ourselves, so it is
incumbent on us to trust that He has good reasons for not telling us a specific
date. When we hear “in a little while,” of course it’s natural to think with our
finite human intellect that it’s just a short time. But we can’t forget that
there is our time, there is God’s time, and they are not the same. Our Bible
tells us that a thousand years to us is but a moment in God’s time. Do I
understand that completely? No, I don’t and that’s ok. But what I do know is
that our God sees the past, present, and future and because of that I trust Him,
and His infinite wisdom do to what it best for me. We all must trust Him the
same way. And that means we can all trust that Jesus will come when He comes.
It’s true that this unknown date does cause lot of people to doubt and others to
flat out disbelieve that His return will happen. II
Peter 3:3 tells us “…that there shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts…” Nonbelievers will live faithless lives because
they don’t believe that there is a God much less that He is coming back to
reclaim this world. We must not be like them. Instead, we must trust that our
Lord is true to His word even as those who don’t share our beliefs mock us.
There are reasons in the Bible telling us why Christ has not yet returned.
Matthew 24:36 tell us that God’s appointed hour
has not yet arrived. Acts 15:14-16 tell us He will return when the Church
has been completed, and II Peter 3:8-11 show us that Jesus will return
when God’s longsuffering has been exhausted.
Until God makes His decision, we are to trust that Jesus will return in God’s
“little while” and not lose hope or patience. Matthew
24:36 tells us that only God knows the time. When you hear of people
setting a date for Christ’s return, rest assured they will be proven wrong.
False prophets will be shown to be frauds as well. But of this we can be sure:
Jesus will come at the right time and that time will be sooner than you think.
We must work to keep ourselves ready at all times for when that moment occurs.
A. B. Simpson, who lived from 1843-1914, was a Canadian preacher, theologian,
author, and founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. He once wrote that
there are two ways of looking at the Lord’s coming: looking for it and looking
at it. He said it’s possible to look at it with a keen intellect and profound
interest, yet have it mean nothing to us personally. It is also possible to know
very little of the theology of the subject, and yet have a deep and holy longing
for our Lord to appear. My prayer is that our Lord’s return not only be our
study for this morning but also our personal hope that it will most certainly
happen; for “unto them that look for Him shall He appear a second time without
sin and unto salvation.”
As time progresses before the Jesus comes to take us to Heaven, there is no
doubt that it will get harder and harder to live our faith in this world. But we
must be committed to Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross. The rewards
will far outweigh whatever mocking and persecution we may endure. Trust that
God’s plan for each one of us personally and for this world as a whole will
benefit those who have a strong faith and enduring trust in Him. Jesus is coming
“in a little while.”
May God bless you richly and give you the strength and courage to live a
Christ-like life until He returns for His own.
Sunday August 21st 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE PURIFYING HOPE
I John 2:28 – 3:3
Other than the book of Revelation, John wrote four other New Testament books.
Today I would like us to look into his writing in I John about the
Purifying Hope given to all who believe in Jesus Christ. I John is a letter
written to all who believe in the name of the Son of God to let them know they
have eternal life. He also wanted to reassure Christians in their faith and to
counter false teaching. John writes in chapter 2 verse 6: “He who says he
abides in Him [Jesus] ought himself also so walk, even as He walked.” In other
words, when we accept Christ, we are called to live a Christ-like life and be
mindful of our behavior so that we will be seen as different. It’s true that we
can’t copy Christ’s life because much of what Jesus did had to do with His
divine identity as God’s Son, the fulfilment of His special role in dying for
sin, and the cultural context of the first century Roman world. To walk today as
Christ did, we must obey His teachings and follow His example of complete
obedience to God and His loving service to people. We will do this as we serve
others by bringing them truth, healing, and peace.
Our text this morning comes from 1 John 2:28 to 3:3
in which John wrote: “(28) And now little children, abide in Him; that,
when He shall appear we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at
His Coming. (29) If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone
who does righteousness is born of Him. (1) Behold, what manner of love
the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:
therefore, the world knows not, because it knew Him not. (2) Beloved, now
are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be; but we know
that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
(3) And every man who has this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is
pure.”
John is sharing three incentives for a Christ-like life: abide in Him, be
unashamed when Jesus returns for us, and become like Jesus when He returns for
us. This is John’s purifying hope for all Christians then, now, and up to the
time of the Rapture. Central to this hope is the return of Jesus. John
previously recorded the promised return in John 14:1-3
where he recorded how Jesus reassured His disciples that if they
believe in God, they can also believe in Him and then told them He was going to
prepare a place for them and would return to bring them to that place. Because
of these promises, John decided to allow Jesus to live in him and to live his
life unashamed and as purely, or Christ-like, as possible so that he would be
ready for the return of his beloved Savior.
John believed and taught that there is nothing more certain than the return of
Jesus. Not only did he record the promise of Jesus in his Gospel; he was a
witness to the angel of the Lord telling the disciples in Acts 1:11:
“…You men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven? The same Jesus…shall
so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven.” The apostle Paul
also wrote in I Thessalonians 4:13-18 how the dead in Christ will rise
and then those who are alive will also be caught up to meet Him in the air.
Paul also tells us in I Corinthians 15:51
that the return of Christ will occur in a moment and that some are going to be
ashamed because they will be caught in the act of sin, and their minds will be
filled with evil. This is not how we would want Jesus to see us. So like John,
we must work to live clean lives so as not to be ashamed when God tells Jesus to
go get His children.
We then see in chapter 3:1 of our text that our self-worth comes from the
fact that the Most High God loves us and calls us His children. We are His
children now, not just sometime in the distant future. It’s this knowledge
should encourage us to live as Jesus did. John had an unfathomable appreciation
for being a child of God. Remember he was a fisherman when Jesus called him to
join His ministry. He went on to see untold number of miracles performed, the
heart wrenching crucifixion only to see his Lord resurrected from the dead, and
then taken up into Heaven. And now to be called a child of God made him so
incredibly grateful that he wanted to live worthy of the position afforded to
him and let the world see that he was indeed a child of the King.
But we also see in chapter 3:1 that John
knew the world would reject what he was teaching because the world doesn’t
recognize nor acknowledge Believers as children of God, just as they didn’t
recognize nor acknowledge Jesus to be the Son of God. He was also aware of the
profound love that God has for us as expressed in John 3:16: “For God so
loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” It is that love that made
being like Jesus John’s main desire for the rest of his life.
He tells in I John 3:2-3 that we are just as much children of God now as
we will be after Rapture and that we will become like the glorified Jesus and be
able to see Him as He really is. John longed to see his Savior again and he is
telling us that we too can see the Savior if we work to keep our lives pure and
Christ-like. It is this purified hope that sets us apart from the unbelievers in
this world.
We must all look within ourselves to see if the hope of Christ’s return has
changed us and that we are ready today and each day forward for His return.
Believing in Jesus begins the process of becoming more and more like him. Are
there going to be missteps along the way? Of course. But we can be forgiven
these missteps. Our Christian growth is a process that will continue until the
moment we see Jesus face-to-face. We don’t know exactly how we’ll be changed to
be like Jesus, but we do know that we will have eternal, resurrected bodies,
free from sin and pain, and we will have a greater understanding of all things
than we do now on earth.
Knowing our ultimate destiny is a powerful motivator for us to keep morally pure
and free from the corruption of sin. It also gives us hope as we struggle with
sin because we know that one day, we will be totally sinless just like Jesus.
God purifies us, but we must also take steps to remain pure. Each and every time
we resist a temptation or turn from sin, we become more like Jesus.
This is going to be a lifelong struggle and it won’t be easy. We will be looked
at as foolish, weak, and perhaps even crazy. When that happens, you will know
you are on the right path. But the truth is, the ridicule is nothing compared to
what Jesus endured for us on the cross. So, I encourage each one of you to work
hard to live your life with Jesus at the center and remember that in the end, it
will be worth all the ridicule and struggles you will have to go through. Never
forget that Jesus is coming back for us -- and it could be before this day is
over!
May God bless you richly and give you the strength and courage to live a
Christ-like life.
Sunday August 14th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
PRAY EARNESTLY
Luke 18:1-8
This morning I would like to share some thoughts with you about prayer,
especially during the end times. Our text comes from Luke 18:1-8 which says: “(1)And
He spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray; (2)
saying, there was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded
man: (3) and there was also a widow in that city; and she came unto him,
saying, ‘Avenge me of my adversary [do me justice].’ (4) And he would not
for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘though I fear not God, nor
regard man; (5) yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her,
lest by her continual coming she weary me.” (6) And the Lord said, Hear
what the unjust judge says. (7) And shall not God Avenge His own elect,
which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? (8) I
tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man
comes, shall He find faith on the earth?”
Something to note before we get into the meat of the parable: First, the parable
just before this one and the one we look at today both end with a verse about
the second coming of Jesus. We see Jesus preparing His disciples and us today
for what is going to happen in the end times while also assuring them and us
that He will be returning.
What is the lesson that our Savior is giving us today? He begins in v. 1 by
showing us that without a proper prayer life, faith cannot be truly exercised,
irrespective of how much we claim to be faithful. He also tells us that we
should always pray and not faint, or don’t lose heart, while waiting for
answers. We are to believe that God hears our prayers and keep praying.
In vv. 2-5 we see His story about a persistent widow that was repeatedly ignored
in her quest for justice. Her persistence paid off as she was able to wear down
the judge to force him to take care of her complaint. The judge finally
addressed her issue but not because of the merits of her request, he did it
because he wanted her go away and stop bothering her. He took care of her
grievance to get her off her back.
In v. 6 our Lord tells His disciples that if
such a judge will eventually listen to the petition of someone whom he cares
nothing about, surely God will listen to the repeated prayers of someone whom He
loves with a deep, enduring love. We must never give up praying about things are
important to us. When it appears that God isn’t listening, remain faithful
because, as Jesus assures us, He does listen. When it feels as though answers
are delayed, it could be that God is waiting for other things in our lives to
fall into place; or perhaps He is preparing another course of action that will
be more beneficial to us; or perhaps there is another lesson that He will teach
us before the answer arrives, or His answer may be delayed for an untold number
of reasons that only He knows. Our job is to remain faithful, pray continuously
and believe with all our hearts that God not only hears us but will answer us in
the way that is most beneficial to us. Remember that our God is a just God,
unlike the judge that addressed the widow’s complaint. Like the widow, we must
keep praying.
In v. 7 see Jesus telling us that God at
times delays answers for an all-wise purpose depending on what it is we are
asking, or It could also be that our faith isn’t actually strong and deep down
we believe that He won’t answer us. We must examine our prayer life to ensure
that we actually believe that God will answer us. Trust me, He can tell if we
don’t.
We must pray with strong faith and not give up when we don’t get answers
immediately. Jeremiah 33:3 tells us to “Call unto
Me and I will answer you, and show you great and might things, which you know
not.” This is a promise that applies to all believers, from the time it was
written up until the time when Jesus returns. Paul tells us in Hebrews 4:16 that
because of what Jesus did on the cross for us, we have an advocate before God
that completely understands our strengths and weaknesses and all of our
emotions. This allows us to come boldly unto the Throne of God in order that we
may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And how do we do that?
With prayer and a firm faith that our prayers will be answered. John tells us in
1 John 5:13-16 that all who believe in Jesus must have faith that if we ask
anything of God in the name of Jesus that is in accordance with the will of God,
that our prayers will be heard and will be answered. How do we know if our
prayers are of the will of God? By studying our Bible, we learn what the will of
God is. That we live a Christian life, be an example of Jesus as we live, and we
tell others what Jesus has done for us and can do for them.
There will be times when we feel that all our strength is gone, and we become
tired of the struggle. God understands that. But that’s when we need to continue
to pray more and exercise our faith until we hear our answers. When your knees
are about to give way, Pray!
The widow had a corrupt judge but we most certainly do not. But there are time
when we act as if He were because our faith becomes weak with the struggle. This
is when we need to turn to Jesus to help us get through. We are living in the
end times which means that our faith is going to be tested more and more as the
days go by.
Widows in the Bible represent all those who are weak and needy. God will
intervene for widows just as He does for all who feel weak and need His help.
God will answer our prayers just as the corrupt judge answered the widow’s
request. She never gave up and had a strong faith that she would get justice as
evidenced by the fact that she kept coming back even when she received no
answer. We too must be persistent, just as she was, and always approach God with
a strong faith that He will not only hear us but act on our requests in a way
that is most advantageous to us.
Finally, in v. 8 we see Jesus telling His disciples He will return one
day but asks if He will find any people of faith still in earth. Notice He
doesn’t give an answer to this question. As we look around us today, it is quite
evident that there is a lack of faith among people today. If you consider that
the Church will have been taken out of the world at the Rapture, it’s likely
that there won’t be very much faith in the world at the Second Coming. But be
assured that the Second Coming will happen when God says it’s time. Nothing is
going to stop our Lord from redeeming this earth and removing the evil that
Satan worked so hard to spread. In the end, God wins!
The times we are currently living in require that we pray persistently and
believe that our prayers will be answered. That happens through our faith. We
must never give up and never doubt that God is watching over us and working in
our lives to do what is best for us. He has the big picture of our lives – past,
present, and future – so we must put our lives completely in His hands and trust
that He will take care of us and be victorious over the evil that we see growing
around us.
Keep your prayer life consistent and strong in faith. Believe with all your
heart that God will answer you in accordance with His will for your life and I
guarantee you will not be disappointed.
May God keep you
and bless you richly
Sunday August 7th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE RAPTURE -- PART 4
Excerpted from the
Discovery Series publication entitled: “What Can We Know About the Second
Coming?” written by Herb VanderLugt and Dave Branon.
Today we will cover the last of what I want to show you about the Rapture. So
far, we have seen when you study what was written in the Bible, there’s a lot of
support showing the Rapture will occur before the Great Tribulation and the
arguments against this position are very weak. Let’s continue to look at the
weakness of a Post-Tribulation view. To reject the Pre-Tribulation Rapture would
require that we also reject Martin Luther’s teachings on justification, which is
the act of God freeing us from the guilt and penalty of sin; John Calvin’s
insights into God’s sovereignty wherein He is the supreme authority over all
things; and John Wesley’s contributions toward an understanding of
sanctification, which means we are made holy and sec apart as sacred because we
are purified and free from sin.
Another objection to the doctrine of an any-moment return comes from what Jesus
told Peter, as recorded in John 21. Jesus
said, “When you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished;
but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you
and carry you where you do not wish” (v. 18). The Post-Tribulationists
will say the return of Christ couldn’t be at any time because Jesus would have
had to wait at least until Peter had passed from the scene at an old age. Then
one must ask if Peter would have to be 75 before Jesus’ words would be
fulfilled. In the New Testament era, lifespans were much shorter than they are
now. Paul, for example, was likely in his fifties when called himself “aged”
when he wrote to Philemon. As Peter was already in his mid-thirties when Jesus
spoke the words recorded by John, it would not be very many years until Peter
would consider himself old. Yes, there would have been a few years in the first
century during which those who knew of this prediction would have known that
Jesus’ coming was not imminent, but that time was brief. Besides, Peter was
already “old” by the time Paul wrote his epistles.
Make no mistake, there will come a time when the Savior reaches out His arms to
take millions of people – both living and dead – away from the earth. Paul
writes in I Cor 15:51-52: “Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” And then in I
Thes 4:16-17 he wrote: “The Lord Himself will descend from Heaven
with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And
the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And
thus, we shall always be with the Lord.” These two passages show several things
about the Rapture.
First, we see who will be raptured. In both passages, Paul is addressing fellow
believers in Jesus Christ. Also, in Thessalonians, he mentioned that the “dead
in Christ” would rise first telling us all people who trusted in Jesus from the
Day of Pentecost (which was the first time people were “in Christ”) until the
moment of Rapture – both the living and the dead – will be caught up in the
Rapture. We also learn this event only for Christians. And we also learn that
Jesus doesn’t touch foot on the earth. We will meet Him in the air.
Next, we see if this will this be a secret event. Some Bible scholars refer to
this “catching up” of the church as a secret Rapture because only Christians
will hear the shouts and trumpet blasts. If this is true, the event will hardly
be secret. When whole congregations disappear, employees vanish suddenly, and
vital public services are disrupted, people will notice. No matter how blinded
the unbelieving world may be to the events in the sky, they will soon know that
something extraordinary has occurred.
Then what happens to believers? A quick trip to Heaven is just the beginning of
the indescribable things that will happen at the Rapture. The moment living
believers are ushered into Christ’s presence, they will receive their new
bodies. Paul wrote, “We shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet….For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and
this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor 15:51-53)
And finally, we can see where believers will go. Post-Tribulationists teach that
when Jesus appears in the sky, Christians will rise to meet Him, make a U-turn,
and descend to earth. Then Jesus will set up His earthly kingdom. Besides the
obvious strangeness and awkwardness of this up-and-down scenario, this theory
seems to contradict John 14. After Jesus made the Upper Room announcement
that He was departing, reassuring His Disciples He would be preparing an eternal
dwelling place for them. He also told them He would be coming back to take them
to that place. If Jesus doesn’t take believers to be with Him at the Rapture,
then what happens to His promise of a place in His Father’s house?
The Rapture will change everything as we know it today. It will create a new
society of people with glorified bodies far removed from the limits of earth.
Earth and heaven will each be composed of opposite groups of people as different
as any two societies have ever been. So, let’s talk about what will be going on
in these two divergent worlds in the years that separate the two stages of
Jesus’ return.
In Heaven, Christians will stand before Christ and be judged. They will be
rewarded with crowns for the good things they have done for God or will “suffer
loss” for their failure or neglect. To understand what it means to “suffer
loss,” think of Olympic athletes who fail to medal in their sport. They’re still
members of their Olympic teams, but they have suffered loss by not winning a
medal. What will be God’s means of judging what is worthy of honor and what
isn’t? I Cor 3:13-15 speaks of a trial by
fire, meaning any works that were done with a selfish motivation will perish in
the fire just as weed, hay, and stubble are consumed. But those things that were
done on earth for God’s glory will live on. The key elements in testing these
works will be their quality and the motivation behind them.
At least five distinct crowns are mentioned in Scripture which Christians can
work toward: (1) an incorruptible crown for overcoming the old nature
(I Cor 9:25-27); (2) a crown of
rejoicing for being a soulwinner (I Thes 2:18-20);
(3) a crown for life for enduring persecution and trials (James
1:12 and Rev
2:20); (4) a crown of righteousness for eagerly looking
forward to Christ’s return (II Tim 4:8); and (5) a crown of glory
for shepherding the flock of God (I Pet 5:4).
These rewards aren’t earned for personal gain. We’re told in Rev 4:10 when
Christians receive their crowns at the judgment seat of Christ, they will give
honor to Jesus by casting them at His feet. Imagine the scene as millions of
glorified believers offer their heavenly rewards to God for His glory!
All these best-of times heavenly happenings will be contrasted with the worst of
times on earth. Things may seem to be tolerable at first, but the situation will
deteriorate quickly. Two events will spell trouble, terror, and tragedy for
those left behind. The first, the revealing of the Antichrist will bring on the
second: the Great Tribulation which we will learn more about in our study of
Revelation.
Now, what to do while we wait for the Rapture. We must live our lives always
expecting Jesus to return at any moment in order that we will not be ashamed
when He returns. In other words, be in a continual state of readiness and
expectancy. We must keep our lives clean and in line with what God expects from
us. We must also have a sense of urgency toward those who don’t know Jesus. Too
often we live as if we have all the time in the world to convey the message of
salvation, when in reality we don’t know if we will have the rest of today share
His Word. The prospect of lost opportunities to share the Gospel should propel
us into a deeper concern for the lost. The fact that we don’t know the day and
time of Jesus’ return must not stop us from doing this.
There’s another, even more important consideration. Everyone who knows that
Jesus Christ could come back at any moment must make sure that he or she knows
Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. This is the single most important
commitment that any person can ever make.
After Jesus returns for His own, those who have never personally accepted Him
will be left behind to face a time of trouble this world has never seen. God’s
wrath will be poured out over the entire earth making the plagues in Egypt
before the Exodus look like a day in the park. Death, destruction, deceit, and
danger will reign. This alone should cause every thinking person to seriously
consider the claims of Jesus Christ.
In closing, a quick summary of the difference between the Rapture and the Second
Coming. The Rapture is when Christ comes back and resurrects all those who have
died and takes them along with every living Christian to Heaven with Him. We see
Paul speak of this in I Thes 4:16—17. The Rapture is God’s protection of His
saints from the Tribulation – the seven years of judgment that will then be
poured out on earth. The Bible tells us in Romans 8:1: ‘…there is therefore now
no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus;’ indicating that the Church
will not experience the judgment that God has planned for that time. At the end
of the seven-year Tribulation period Jesus comes back which is His Second
Coming. He will return not as a humble child but as the powerful and glorious
King of the universe surrounded by all of His saints. He will be victorious at
Armageddon and establish His kingdom on earth. At the Rapture, Jesus won’t set
foot on the earth. At the second coming, His walk the Mount of Olives and He
will reign on earth. The Rapture can be at any moment, and the Second Coming
will be seven years later.
Yes, Jesus is coming back. Perhaps He will come today. Are you ready? If not,
you can be. Without another second’s delay, you need only pray something like
this: “Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I believe the Bible and that You
are the Son of God. Realizing that You gave Your life for me, that You died for
my sins and rose from the dead, I will trust You and You alone for my
salvation.” After that prayer, go out and live your life to prove you mean it!
This is the first and most crucial step in getting ready for His return. A
return that may be today. I pray we all will be ready.
Sunday July 24th 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE RAPTURE PART 2
Excerpted from the
Discovery Series publication entitled: “What Can We Know About the Second
Coming?” written by Herb VanderLugt and Dave Branon.
Last week we started to look at the Rapture and how it is portrayed in the
Bible. Today I want to continue by calling your attention to the disagreements
expressed by some scholars about when it will actually happen. I hope that by
looking at the disagreements and what is told in the Scripture, you will come to
believe that the Rapture is real, and it will happen “in the twinkling of an
eye.”
Picture this notice in the newspaper: “MILLIONS REPORTED MISSING. News reports
arriving from cities around the globe tell of a mysterious disappearance of
thousands and thousands of people. In some instances, entire families have
vanished without a trace.”
Could this headline appear in the news tomorrow? Is it possible that Christ
could return today and suddenly remove His children from this earth, leaving an
unbelieving world to wonder where all the Christians have gone?
This is an important issue because if Christ were to return today, we must be
ready so we cannot afford to take the future for granted. Christians who live
expecting that Jesus could return at any moment have good reason to live a
different and better life. It also gives us an urgency to introduce others to
Christ before it’s too late. Having said that, Christians don’t all agree about
the Rapture. While all true Christians believe in the return of Christ, many
disagree about the details of when it will occur.
Some think that He will come back at the end of the age just prior to destroying
and recreating the heavens and earth. This belief is called Amillennialism
because it doesn’t recognize a literal millennium, which is 1,000-year reign of
Christ on earth that we will learn more about with our study of Revelation.
Others believe that Jesus will return only after a predicted period of
unparalleled trouble that we know to be the Great Tribulation. This belief is
called Post-Tribulationalism because it sees Him coming for His people after the
Tribulation. Still others believe that our Lord will return in two phases – once
for the salvation of His Church and once for the rescue of the nation of Israel.
This view includes those who hold to either a Pre-Tribulational or a Mid-Tribulational
approach to the Lord’s return. So, let’s try to clear up some of the confusion.
We know that everyone who awaits Christ’s return has reason to live the kind of
life that will please the Lord at His coming. The apostle John recognized this
when he wrote in I John 3:2-3: “When He is
revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who
has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” The doctrine of our
Church takes the position of a two-part return of Christ, where first phase of
which could occur at any moment – maybe even today.
We take that position because there is scriptural evidence for it. The main
evidence revolves around God’s distinct plans for Israel and the Church; as well
as prophecies that describe the time of Christ’s return as being both knowable
and unknowable. This reasoning might seem to be confusing at times, but the
thing to remember is Scripture teaches us to be always ready for our Lord’s
return.
Why two two returns? Well, the first is for the rescue and removal of the Church
which can be found in I Cor 15:51-53; I Thes 4:13-18
and 5:9. The second return is God’s plan for
Israel which can be found in Ezek 35:16-38;
Jer 23:5-6, and Rev
19:11-21. Both of these events have different places in God’s
prophetic program and His world plan. Israel is a nation with whom God has made
a specific promise (Isa 2:1-6, Eze chpts 36-37). The Church, on
the other hand, is a multinational organism made up of all true believers in
Christ – Jew and Gentile. The Church is at the center of God’s program until
according to Romans 11:25 “the fullness of
the Gentiles” is completed and has been given a hope that is to be realized more
in heaven than on earth as told in I Thes 4:13-18.
The distinction between Israel and the Church is basic to understanding the
prophecy which many scholars say is the key to unlocking what the Bible says
about the future.
When the two are kept distinct, the prophetic details fall into place and we can
see that some predictions refer to the Lord’s return for the Church, while
others refer to His return as the King and Deliverer of Israel. We will see this
explained more when we study Revelation and find the Church is not specifically
referred to in most of the book. Revelation 6-18 describes the Great
Tribulation, to which Jesus alluded in Matthew 24:15-28, but never
mentions the Church. The lack of mention gives weight to the idea that Christ
will have already returned to remove the Church prior to the start of the
Tribulation and the events related to the restoration and salvation of the
nation of Israel, which Jeremiah calls in chapter 30:7, the “time of
Jacob’s trouble.”. The Church will already be with her Lord and will come with
Him when He returns to save Israel and set up His promised earthly kingdom.
This brings us to a second important reason for being ready for a two-part
return of Christ. Bible teaching include both prophecies of dramatic events that
will occur just prior to the Lord’s second coming to earth, as well as
predictions of another coming at a time that is not expected. So, it’s
reasonable to resolve this apparent contradiction by seeing them as describing
two different phases of the Lord’s return.
When seen properly, the return of Christ provides more hope and more
accountability. Nothing puts the pains and pleasures of life in better
perspective than our Lord’s return. If He were to return today, all of our worst
problems and deepest pleasures would suddenly look entirely different.
Matthew 24 provides a beautiful discussion between Jesus and his
Disciples; and it gives us an excellent look into what will happen at the return
of Jesus. This passage, referred to as the Olivet Discourse, happened shortly
before the crucifixion. We see Jesus answering their questions after He had
predicted the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem. The questions they asked
Him in verse 3 include: “Tells us, when will these things be? What will be the
sign of Your coming? What are the signs of the end of the age?
Jesus began His answer in vv. 3-14 with the signs of His coming; then the
signs of the end of the age as related to Israel in vv. 15-35; and
finally, the end of the age in vv. 36-51; which are related to His
unannounced coming for the Church.
Jesus described seven events that would occur before His return: false christs
(v. 5), wars and rumors of wars (v. 6), famines, pestilences, and
earthquakes (v. 7), persecution (v. 9), defections from the faith
(vv. 10-13), and worldwide preaching of the gospel (v. 14).
History shows us that these events took place to some degree during the first
century. Like most prophecies, the near-at-hand and far-off elements were
blended together into one picture. So, Jesus’ statements have different
applications to different generations. To believers who lived and died under
terrible persecution, “the end” in v. 13 speaks of the end of life. But
to those who will live during the coming Tribulation, it will be the end of the
age. Similarly, the world-wide preaching of the gospel during the first century
was to the Roman world as we can see in Col 1:5-6; while for us today it
is to the entire globe. These events portrayed by our Lord served as signs to
first century believers and future generations that He is coming again.
At v. 15, we find a very specific prediction about “an abomination of
desolation,” followed by a detailed description of a brief, terrible time of
trouble that will end when the Lord returns. Gentiles might be puzzled by the
statement about the abomination in the holy place; but the Jewish people to whom
Jesus spoke understood it. We recently learned in
Daniel 9:24-27 of a hostile Gentle ruler would someday desecrate
their temple and initiate horrendous persecution. Also,
Luke 21:20-24 contains some elements that were partially fulfilled at
the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70.
But Matthew 24:15-31 focuses on the end time
where there will be enough fear to drive the Jews to the hills (vv. 16-18);
unparalleled trouble and woe (vv. 19-20); a time of Great Tribulation
that will threaten all life if the days are not shortened (vv. 21-22);
false christs and prophets (vv. 23-26); startling celestial signs and the
visible descent of the Son of Man “with power and great glory.” (vv. 29-31).
These signs will show the end “is near, at the very doors” (v. 33). In
fact, the generation that sees the beginning of these signs which will be the
desecration of the Jewish temple (v. 15) will not pass from the scene
before the Lord has returned (v. 34). It’s clear that the end times are
going to be quite involved and not a good time to be living.
Next week we will continue with the answer Jesus gave the Disciples as to when
the Rapture will occur. Meanwhile, read Matthew 24
and you will be fascinated! And keep looking up because Jesus is
going to come for true believers soon.
Sunday July 17th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE RAPTURE MYSTERY
I Corinthians 15:51-58
There are some things which all the Biblical writers spoke clearly about, and
scholars easily agree on. These include sin, God’s holiness, the need of
salvation, the crucified Savior, and salvation by faith in Jesus’ crucifixion
and resurrection. There are also some things written about that are referred to
as mysteries. So, continuing with the prophecy series, today I would like to
show you what the Bible says about the mystery of the Rapture. Biblical
mysteries include the parables of Jesus, the mystery of God’s will as stated in
Ephesians 1:9 where Paul wrote: “Having made known unto us the mystery of
His Will [which refers to the secret purposes and counsels God intends to carry
into effect in His Kingdom], according to His good pleasure [that is extended to
believers], which He has purposed in Himself [meaning it originated in His own
mind].” God was not intentionally keeping a secret. The fact is that His plan
for the world could not be fully understood until Christ rose from the dead. His
secret purpose for sending Christ was to unite Jews and Gentiles in one body
with Christ as the Head. Many people still do not understand God’s plan, but
when the time is right, He will gather us to be with Him forever and then
everyone will understand. On that day, all people will bow to Jesus as Lord
either because they love him or because they fear his power.
The apostle Paul revealed the mystery of the Lord’s return which is found in
this morning’s text in I Corinthians 15:51-58
which says: “(51) Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed. (52) In a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53) For this corruptible
must put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality. (54)
So, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ (55) O death, where is your
sting? O grave, where is our victory? (56) The sting of death is sin; and
the strength of sin is the Law. (57) But thanks be to God, which gives us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58) Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Paul is speaking of the close of the Church Age. At that time, all believers in
Christ will be given Glorified bodies and will go from being sinners (corrupt)
to being sinless (incorruptible). He was not the first to make this
pronouncement, he was actually quoting verse 53
from Isaiah 25:8. Because sin was forever atoned at the cross, the
sting of death was taken away and the grave is no more – all because of the
Cross. Because of that, our job is to tell others what Jesus has done. Paul is
clearly telling us in verse fifty-one that not all Christians will die. Sleep in
this passage refers to death. Hebrews 9:27
tells us that it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the Judgment.
The truth is mankind is constantly battling death. Look at the millions of
dollars spent in research toward advances in modern medicine so we can live
longer. Yet, scientists estimate the death rate in 2099 to be 121.7 million to
125.26 million births, which is relatively even. And the average lifespan still
hovers between 70 to 80 years which is actually found in Psalm 90:10 showing us
that God controls the human life cycle. But there will come a point in time when
living believers will not die. Paul states in I Thessalonians 4:17 that those
“…which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air; and so, shall we ever be with the Lord.” This event
is what we refer to as the Rapture. Those believers who are alive on earth at
this time will see Jesus without experiencing physical death. Now if we are
honest, our minds cannot grasp the full effect of what that will be like. This
event was portrayed in the movie, “Left Behind” and it caused all sorts of
problems. Suddenly people all around the world just disappeared leaving behind
only the clothes they were wearing. It caused so much confusion and problems
such as air traffic controllers disappearing from towers, drivers gone from
their cars, hospital and emergency workers gone. Utter chaos abounded. It is
truly a scenario that you can imagine will happen at that time. The Rapture will
no longer be a secret to the world. When whole congregations of people
disappear, when employees suddenly vanish, when vital public services are
disrupted by mass absenteeism, people will notice.
Verse 51 of our text tells us everyone – both living and dead -- will be
changed at that moment for this amazing trip to Heaven. Because of the power of
the resurrection, each and every believer will be changed to be like Jesus, and
we will see Him as He is in all His glory, which John tells us in I John 3:2.
And as we read earlier, there will be no more corruption caused by sin, no more
mortality as we will become immortal, and it will all happen in an instant – a
twinkling of an eye.
No one knows when God will put this plan into action. Until that happens, the
charge to Christian believers is to be diligent. It could be an hour from now or
it could be a thousand years from now. But whenever that moment will be,
believing Christians do not want to be caught short and lose out on this
miracle.
This change is all possible because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our
sins. Through Him we have received the victory over death and mortality.
Believers will be afforded the blessing of being caught up to meet Him and be
changed to be like Jesus.
Because we do not know the ‘when,’ we have to be steadfast and unmovable in our
faith, and constantly doing the work of the Lord. Each and everyone of us must
ask ourselves if we are ready for the return of Jesus. We must be ever mindful
that it could be at any moment. We certainly do not want to be found doing
something that we should not be doing when God gives the call. And we should be
working to tell as many people as possible what Jesus has done for us and will
do for them if they chose to accept and believe in Him.
There are those who discount the Rapture. While it is true that while we profess
to be believers who ‘go by the Book,’ if you will, we have to be careful that we
never support an argument by adding to the Bible something that is not there.
One of those “somethings” that isn’t found in God’s Word is the word “rapture.”
When we use this word to designate the time of Jesus’ return in the air to take
His followers to Heaven, though, we are not violating Scripture nor are we
adding something that is not there. For example, the word Trinity does not
appear in the Bible, but very few will deny its truth. If they do, then their
faith must be questioned. The trinity is the expression of the triune (meaning
3) godhead of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All connected but each
distinct in their own right. So where, then, does the term rapture come from? In
I Thessalonians 4:17, Paul said that living believers will be “caught up”
with the dead in Christ to meet the Lord in the air. The Greek word Paul used
here is harpazo, which means “to snatch away.” When the Bible was translated
into Latin, the scholars translated harpazo as rapturo. It is a short step then
from rapturo to the English word rapture. Therefore, although it is true that
the word itself does not appear in our English translation of Scripture, the
sense of the word is surely there.
Christians will be
snatched away when the Lord descends with the sound of the trumpet and a shout.
You should know that there are some other questions about the validity of the
rapture that we will continue to cover next week. But for today, our charge is
to remain diligent in the work of the Lord and be a representative of Jesus and
all He did for us on the cross. He willingly gave up His life for each one of us
so we could be with Him forever.
Make sure your heart is right with Him. Sharing His message is the least we can do to repay Him for the pain and agony He endured for the forgiveness of our sins and to thank God for allowing us to overcome our sin to live as He intended when He created this world.
May God bless you and
keep you in His loving care.
Sunday July 10th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
WHAT TIME IS IT?
Acts 1:4-14
We have been studying the book of Daniel and all of the prophesies it contains
regarding the future. And we will continue with the greatest prophecy – the book
of Revelation. But, beginning today and over the next several weeks, I would
like us to take a look at how God’s prophetic plan is portrayed throughout the
Bible. Everybody wants to know what’s going to happen in the future. When you
really dig in and study scripture with and open mind and heart, it is all there
to show us what to expect. A good place to start today is with the
Disciples and their
final conversation with Jesus just prior to His ascension into Heaven.
Our text comes from Acts 1:4-14: “(4) And, being assembled
together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem,
but wait for the Promise of the Father [Jesus is speaking of the Holy Spirit],
which, said He, you have heard of Me. (5) For John truly baptized with
water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
(6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord,
will You at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? (7) And He
said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the
Father has put in His Own power. (8) But you shall receive power, after
that the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the
earth. (9) And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was
taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. (10) And while
they looked steadfastly toward Heaven as He went up, behold two men stood by
them in white apparel (11) which also said, You men of Galilee, why do
you stand gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you
into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven.
(12) Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet,
which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath Day’s journey [about a mile]. (13) And
when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter
and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew,
James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas [aka Thaddaeus] the
brother of James [the remaining eleven disciples]. (14) These all
continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, [perhaps
Mary Magdalene, sisters Mary and Martha; the point being, it was not only the
disciples] and Mary the mother of Jesus and his Brethren [Jesus’ brothers have
now become true believers after having been convinced of His true identity
following the resurrection].”
God’s prophetic plan is always interesting. The Old Testament prophets clearly
viewed the future within great interest. The Disciples asked Jesus about signs
of His return in Matthew 24. Read it and you
will see how much has already happened, is beginning to happen, and has yet to
happen. Today, many speculate about the Antichrist, the meaning of 666,
Armageddon, the Tribulation, and the Rapture. So, with the passage of time, it
is clear that mankind is still interested in God’s prophecies but sadly, not
many truly understand what will happen. Even the Disciples, as seen in verse
six, with all that had happened with the crucifixion and resurrection still
thought that Jesus was there at that time to restore the kingdom of Israel. But
Jesus instead revealed the time, and verse seven where He told them the
restoration would come in the Father’s time when he said: “It’s not for you to
know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His Own power.” This
could not have been easy for them for them to understand at this point. And in
fact, it is not easy for us today to wait on the Lord. So many Christians are
quick to run away from God when problems come instead of praying and waiting for
God’s plan to be revealed to us.
Jesus told them to return to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father –
which was the coming of the Holy Spirit that would give them the power to do
what God had planned for them.
In verse seven when He tells them they are to wait for the promise of the
Father; He is telling you and I the same thing today. For the Disciples it was
the coming of the Holy Spirit which gave them the wisdom, power, and courage to
carry out God’s plan to spread the gospel to the world. For us, we must accept
the Holy Spirit and witness to those around us in order to continue the spread
of the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. We humans are so impatient –
then and now. We want to know everything about the future now. We want prayers
answered as soon as the words leave our tongues, we want God’s promises to be
fulfilled yesterday. But we must adhere to God’s time because He alone sees the
big picture – past, present, and future. I do not doubt that He is waiting until
more people come to Him through Jesus. And never forget, a minute of our time
can be like a thousand years to God. His time is not our time.
All throughout the Bible are examples of the blessings that we can get by
waiting on the Lord. Psalm 27:14 says: “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage
[meaning be encouraged], and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the
Lord.” Waiting gives us encouragement that God was, is, and will be faithful for
us and to us. Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.
Fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who
brings wicked devices to pass.” While we wait patiently, we will be protected
from Satan and his efforts to draw us away from the Lord. Isaiah tells us we
will have renewed strength in chapter 40:31, which says: “But they who wait upon
the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” When we
wait on the Lord, we will be constantly seeking His face and focused on carrying
out His will.
The Disciples were told to wait for God’s plan to be made known to them. And
once it was, look what they accomplished. They became witnesses for the entire
world for generations to come on what God’s plan is for a world infected by the
evil of Satan. Our charge today is not much different from theirs. The coming of
the Holy Spirt to the Disciples empowered them to begin their witnessing. Their
direction was to wait then witness. As born-again Christians who have received
the gift of the Holy Spirit, our direction is to work and witness.
Finally verse fourteen of our text tells us that they all continued with one
accord in prayer and supplication. No one – the Disciples of old nor Christians
today – can be successful without prayer. We will all have our differences, but
we are not to let those differences dissuade us from the task of spreading the
message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Think back to how Peter denied Jesus
and even Thomas had his doubts about the resurrection. And all of them were
demoralized at the crucifixion. But all that was put aside to carry out the
mission that was given to them. Today, times are too serious, and the hour is
approaching for God to put His plan in motion. We all have to set aside petty
differences and be especially kind and loving to one another, particularly when
someone expresses doubts and confusion. We must keep our hearts open at all
times and help settle doubts and clear up confusion in order that we can focus
on spreading the message of the risen Savior and eternal salvation. The
Disciples experience with the risen Christ was fresh and gave them the
enthusiasm, urgency, and credibility needed to spread God’s message.
So just as the disciples put away their differences and rose to the challenge
placed in front of them, every Christian today must do the same. We have all the
tools we need: our Bibles, our personal experiences with the saving grace of
Jesus, and the power of prayer. Every person in this room can speak of how the
power of prayer has affected their lives. The question we must ask ourselves is
are we willing to rise to the challenge placed in front of us? God’s plan is
fully laid out throughout the scripture. We must study it constantly. Doing so
will increase our confidence in what He said, what He does, and will build our
courage to share His message.
All we need do is look around and see how this world is in such need of God and
the saving power of Jesus. When you look back at the recent past to a time when
prayer was taken out of schools and even the mention of God is prohibited, you
can see the decline in the morals of our once faith-based nation. We can help
turn that around and give people what they so desperately need. It’s clear that
we need not be concerned with dates. All we need to know is that the plan will
unfold in God’s time. Trust His word and have faith that it will all unfold in
His perfect timeline for each and every one of us.
My prayer is that each and every one of us will take the challenge offered
through God’s plan and tell others what Jesus has done for you so that more
people will find the peace that only He can offer.
Jesus is going to come again. Let us all make it a point to be ready when that
day comes.
May God continue to bless you richly each and every day and keep you close to Him.
Sunday July 3rd, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
SATAN; HIS PERSONALITY,
PERVERSIONS,
AND HIS PURPOSE
Ezekiel 28:12-15; Isaiah 14:12-15
6-26-2022
The last time we were together I shared some insights about Hell. This morning,
I would like to talk to you about Satan, his personality, perversions, and his
purpose.
The world sees Satan as a character with horns and a tail, wearing a red suit.
He is often depicted in cartoons shoveling coal in Hell. Today we will learn
that these are false impressions meant to play directly into his evil hands.
Let’s look into our Bible to remove the mask of Satan.
Our text is in two parts, the first of which comes from
Ezekiel 28:12-15: “(12) Son of Man, take
up a lamentation (expression of grief) upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him,
thus saith the Lord God; You seal up the sum, full of wisdom and perfect in
beauty. (13) You have been in Eden the Garden of God, every precious
stone was your covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the
onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold:
the workmanship of your tabrets (small drum) and of your pipes was prepared in
you in the day that you were created. (14) You are the anointed Cherub
who covers; and I have set to you so: you were upon the Holy Mountain of God;
you have walked up and down the midst of the stones of fire. (15) You
were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found
in you.”
While Ezekiel was surely grieving (lamentation) for King Tyrus, his description
goes far beyond the king. Bible scholars believe this to be an accepted
portrayal of Satan. We are told he is full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
While these surprising qualities in one who is now pure evil, it shows us the
destructive nature of sin.
Satan’s abilities prove him to be a person. We saw in Genesis 3 that he is able
to speak, the story of Job tells us that he is able to appear before God, and in
Matthew chapter 4 we are told that he is able to quote Scripture. Since the fall
of Adam, Satan now uses his abilities to destroy. Jesus confirm this for us in
John 10:10, where Jesus states, “The thief comes not, but for to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy (which speaks of Satan and his emissaries who peddle
a false way of Salvation): I am come that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly.” Satan’s goal is to steal people from God and in
doing so, destroy them.
Another of Satan’s goals is to make a mockery out of everything in this life
that is good. We see in verses 13-15 how he
perverted what was good in the Garden of Eden. He convinced Eve that he knew
more than God in that eating forbidden fruit would make her wise and God did not
want that. The fruit would open her eyes and make her and Adam like gods.
Romans 1:22 tells us that people who are deceived by Satan in this way
‘profess themselves to be wise, when in fact they are only fools. But Satan does
not stop with perverting knowledge. He also perverts music as seen in verse
13. Satan uses music to glorify sin, evil, and himself. All you have to do
is listen the words of today’s most popular music. So much of it is filthy and
disgusting. I remember when this kind of music would not be allowed to be
broadcast over the airwaves, but Satan’s power is clearly growing in the hearts
and minds of people today. When you see the decline in morality and the increase
in crime, you can see how Satan has gained a foothold.
The second part of our text is Isaiah 14:12-15 which says: “(12)
How are you fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are you cut
down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! (13) For you have said
in your heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars
of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the
north: (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like
the Most High. (15) Yet you shall be brought down to Hell, to the sides
of the pit.” Lucifer is Satan’s name who is an angel created by God, who served
Him righteously for a period of time. Eventually he fell because he led a
revolution against God with about one third of the angels joining him. All the
pain, suffering, misery, heartache, death, and deception which have ruled this
world from the fall of Adam and Eve are because of this revolution led by Satan.
Verses 13 and 14 show us that Lucifer
was given dominion over the earth before Adam. After his fall he worked
deceitfully to get other angels to follow in a war against God. Satan’s ultimate
purpose is to take God’s place and after he failed in Eden, he has not stopped.
As we can see John 8:44 and Revelation
20:10, Satan continues to lie and deceive, tempt, and spread his evil into
as many hearts, minds, and lives as he can before the return of Jesus to
establish His kingdom on earth. He will lose this battle but until then he wants
to take as many of God’s most important creation with him as is possible. Our
charge is to resist him and all that he may try to do in our lives and to not
let ourselves be deceived by what he may offer to us.
We can see who has the higher purpose. Lean on what Jesus said in John 10:10:
The thief He is speaking of is Satan whose only goal is to destroy. Jesus is
the giver of life and eternal salvation. All of us must make a choice about the
one whom we will serve. That choice must be all in. Halfhearted choices will not
bring salvation. We cannot pick and choose which of God’s ways we will uphold.
It is an all or nothing choice. But I can absolutely promise you this: choosing
Jesus Christ is the choice that will reward you with unspeakable joy. Do not be
like the rich man in the parable who could only observe the gifts offered by God
from his place in Hell. God’s retirement plan is far greater than what Satan is
offering.
May God bless you and protect you from the lies and deceit of Satan.
Sunday June 26th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: C.Jay McCann
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2022
Drawing Closer to the Father’s Heart
by Fia Curley
Christian Living
Sometimes it’s so obvious.
The eyes. The hair color. The dimple on the left cheek.
They come in smaller packages,
but some children look just like their fathers.
It’s right there for everyone to see.
From the ambling way of walking, to drawn out vowels when they talk—
it’s even in the facial expressions and the little nondescript attributes that
make a person so unique.
Many times a father’s DNA is extremely evident in their child.
But it’s more than just genetics. The actual process of raising a child gives
the young mind
a front row seat to absorb a father’s character,
behavior, and subtle mannerisms.
Jesus was no exception.
Of all who have ever walked the earth,
Jesus knew the Father.
He was intimately acquainted with the Lord God
gracious and communed with Him regularly,
even seeking time away from His disciples and ministry
in order to spend time with the God He knew so well.
More than just the God of Israel—
as many in Israel thought of Him—Jesus’ relationship with His Father
brought a radically new dimension of understanding to the Israelites.
Like a tint on a painting or a filter on a photo,
Jesus highlighted a different aspect of God’s nature—
one that is crucial to our relationship with Him
and His plan for redemption.
Jesus knew God as a Father.
While many during Jesus’ time
” Jesus desired to show the true nature of His Father,
the God who has never been ashamed
about making known His heart
for His creation.
When Jesus taught parables about a woman rejoicing over a lost coin and the
prodigal son, He revealed a kind father who joyfully reclaims His most precious
possessions and forgives the harshest of insults. More than just a story, Jesus
was teaching about His Father, the Ancient of Days, who loves to lavish His
goodness on His creation.
Many today still don’t know the Father. Often He is seen through rules and
regulations, a list of dos and don’ts, or even misunderstandings of other’s
experiences or the perspective of the sin-ridden world.
But this is the same view many had in Jesus’ day, causing Him to unashamedly
declare to His disciples, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.”
We see the kindness of the Father in Jesus.
We see the patience of the Father in Jesus.
We see the forgiveness of the Father in Jesus.
As our slain lamb,
good teacher,
and gracious friend,
Jesus readily displayed the true nature of the Father.
He also displayed the fruit of His relationship with His Father.
Perfectly secure and strong,
vulnerable, and yet trusting,
Jesus displayed the outworking of the His healthy relationship with His Father
in times of prayer
and through His submission
to the plan of the cross,
freely able to say
“not My will, but Yours be done.”
His confidence remained unshakeable, settled,
in the Father of lights.
Despite the physical discomfort that led to sweat drops of blood,
the lack of emotional support from friends,
and the looming reality of humiliation and execution,
the only begotten Son of the Father said yes.
He agreed to a punishment He did not deserve
in order to enact the greatest rescue plan of all time with the highest price of
all time
—His life.
In this relationship,
we see freedom, love, trust,
and the power of agreement
that has yielded fruit that remains.
For whom He foreknew,
He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)
“Indeed He says,
‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
that You should be My salvation
to the ends of the earth.’” (Isaiah 49:6)
Through Jesus we see and receive what is possible in our relationship with God,
the Father.
As children we will always be in the place to hear the Lord whisper those
soothing words to our souls, “Come closer.”
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8)
Through Jesus we see the heart and desire of God for us
to be with Him,
and we’re free to experience that desire daily,
to know there’s more, and enter into the more He has always desired us to
experience.
But Jesus has also opened the way for every believer
to reveal His nature to those He’s placed around us,
to allow His love to not just penetrate our hearts, but to flow through us.
As we encounter His heart,
we remain free to share what He’s given us from a place of wholeness, strength,
and vulnerability.
It’s in this place that the broken, the hurting, and the overlooked souls can
come and receive a greater understanding of God’s true nature—not rumors, myths,
or misunderstandings. It’s in this place, as we pour out our lives as living
epistles, that others will see the small glints of light of the Father’s nature
and goodness as they glimpse the changes He’s made within us.
The moments in which we choose to walk out the Sermon on the Mount we can be
certain that our family heritage is evident. When we choose to love, forgive and
bless, or when we hold our hands open in surrender, silencing the rising
accusations from the costly reality of being in God’s family, we too are able to
say, not my will, but Father, Yours be done and know He is being glorified.
It’s in these often inconvenient moments, both harrowing and grating, scary and
thrilling that something amazing happens—that family resemblance becomes even
more obvious and others in this generation look and they too see the Father.
The Father is raising up a people who know Him
and walk in His love.
Sunday June 19th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: C.Jay McCann
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2022
Title: When Faith Is
Alive
“What does it profit, my brethren,
if a man says he has faith but has not works?
Can his faith save him? . . .
Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:14, 17 RSV).
Scripture Reading: James 2:14–26
Someone has said that faith is like calories:
you can’t see them, but you can see their results.
Today we study a section of James’s letter that is probably the most
misunderstood passage in the entire letter.
Some see this passage as a contradiction of Paul’s teaching concerning the way
of salvation.
But when the teachings of both Paul and James are understood properly,
there is no conflict.
Three things must be kept in mind as we study these verses.
The situations presented by James were entirely different from those presented
by Paul.
Paul had in mind those who denied the doctrine of salvation by grace through
faith and insisted on ceremonial works,
whereas
James was saying that true faith expresses itself in deeds.
Paul was talking about the way of salvation,
and James was talking about the life of a person after he or she has been saved.
While Paul and James used many of the same words,
they put different meanings into them.
By “works” Paul meant works of the Jewish law—ceremonies and rituals.
For James, “works” were works of love, proof that faith was alive and real.
James takes up the topic of work in detail in the second part of chapter 2.
When discussing work, he invariably uses the plural “works” (Greek erga) rather
than the singular “work” (Greek ergon).
This leads some to suppose that James
uses “works” to mean something different from “work.”
However, erga and ergon are simply plural and singular forms of the same
word.[1]
James is describing any kind of work, from works of kindness, such as giving
food to someone who is hungry, to on-the-job work, such as increasing the
sustainable yield of rice paddies. His use of the plural shows that he expects
Christians’ work to be continual.
James’s intention was not to contrast two opposing methods of salvation.
His intention was to show two kinds of faith—
one genuine and the other false,
one alive and the other dead.
James said that true faith produces (2:14–17).
14 What doth it profit, my brethren,
though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?
can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them,
Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what doth it profit?
He tried to show that things such as mental agreement,
or saying we accept Christ, do not mean much unless
they are proved by the fruits of faith at work.
Almost with an air of disgust,
James said, in essence, “What good is faith without works?
Does it help anyone?”
Note that James did not write, “If a man has faith,”
but
“If a man says he has faith.”
Repeat:
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and
have not works?
John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, had a character named Talkative,
and of that character he said, “Religion has no place in his heart, or house or
conduct;
all he has lies in his tongue,
and his religion is just something to make a noise with.”
(point up gesturing)
This is the kind of person James was describing.
Note the statement, “Can faith save him?” (v. 14).
An ad-jective is implied that does not appear in the wording here.
It is better read, “Can that faith save him?”
The reference is to that false,
fruitless faith.. James had just described.
James’s theme is that true faith is alive (2:18–20).
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith,
and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works,
and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well:
the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead?
This is another difficult area of the epistle.
James seems to have been dramatizing here, as he often did in this epistle.
He felt so certain of what he was saying about faith and works
that he saw an imaginary man rising in support
of what he had been saying.
This man turned to the one in the assembly.. who made a profession of faith..
but did not prove it by works.
This may well have been the man James described in the preceding illustration,
who had said to the cold and hungry, “Be ye warmed and filled” (2:16).
With righteous indignation, the first man burst out,
“You hypocrite! Of what use are your long prayers,
of what use is your profession of faith,
since you just had the opportunity to practice it and failed to do so?”
(QUESTION)
What is the principle here?
Faith is something that dwells in the deepest recesses of the heart, and only
God can see it.
Others can only see the outward appearance.
But if there is faith deep in the heart,.. it cannot but manifest itself in
outward expression.
Ralph Erskine, a great Scottish preacher of the seventeenth century, used to
say,
“Faith and works are the two feet with which a man walks in Christ.”
One without the other produces a spiritual cripple.
James showed a bit of “sanctified wit” (v. 19).
In spite of the fact that demons are afraid of God, they do not obey him.
Fear can never inspire obedience that pleases God.
Much so-called religion today is prompted by a slavish fear.
If we try to obey and serve God out of this kind of fear, ...our obedience and
service will never be accepted.
James said that true faith produces obedience (2:21–26).
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou ..how faith wrought with his works,
and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works- a man is justified, and not by faith
only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works,
when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is
dead also.
James was not teaching that Abraham’s justification or “acquittal” before God -
depended on his works to the exclusion of faith.
He was not even saying that - his justification depended on works in addition to
faith.
He was saying that one’s -justification before God- is simply by faith, but it
is the kind of faith - that moves the heart and regulates the life; it is a
faith that does not lie dormant - but manifests itself in active obedience.
For his second illustration,
James chose Rahab, who was as far removed from Abraham as night is from day.
James insisted that her experience with God teaches the same lesson as that
taught by Abraham’s experience.
James 2:26
Just as the body without the life-giving spirit is dead,
so faith, which is a mere shell of profession - if it is void of fruit,
is dead also (v. 26).
This kind of fruitless faith brings no glory to God
and yields no benefit to the person who has it.
What James was saying -
is that the union between faith and works -
is as close as the union between body and soul.
James gives us instruction to act with mercy.
So whatever you do and whatever you say, let it be done with love and mercy.
Sunday June 12th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
HELL: WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT
Matthew 11:20-24; 25:41
This morning, I would like to talk about Hell. There are a lot of people who
genuinely believe that because God is a loving God, He will not allow people to
go to Hell and in the end, sinners will be excused for their behavior. But Jesus
warned the Pharisees and Sadducees about the wrath that was to come when He said
in Matthew 3:7, “But when He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come
to His baptism, He said unto them, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to
flee from the wrath to come?” Let’s look further into the reality of Hell. Our
text is from Matthew 11:20-24 that says: “(20) Then began He to upbraid the
cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not.
(21) Woe unto you, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works,
which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have
repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes! (22) But I say unto you, I shall be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, then for you (These
cities are ancient cities in what today is Lebanon). (23) And you, Capernaum,
which are exalted unto Heaven, shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty
works, which had been done in you, had been done in Sodom, it would have
remained until this day. (24) But I say unto you, that it shall be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for you.” And then
over to Matthew 25:41: “Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand,
Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and
his angels.” People ask if Hell is real, if a loving God allow sinners to go to
Hell, and can Hell last forever?
First, in verses 20 and 21 of Matthew 11, Jesus confirms that there is going to
be judgement and there will be people that will go to Hell. While He was
speaking mostly to the religious leaders, He was also condemning all of Israel.
He said, “Woe unto thee.” Just who will experience these woes and be destined to
Hell? All those who do not repent of their sins, those who rejected Christ and
His words, and those on whom much light had been given. In other words, those
who had experienced Jesus while He walked on earth, those who received many
blessings in this life, and all those who continue reject Him.
The truth is, we are all sinners who are deserving of Hell. Isaiah tells us in
verse 6 of chapter 64 that “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” That is until we accept and
receive into our lives, that Jesus is the son of God and sacrificed Himself on
the cross to save us from our sins. Romans 5:8-9 say: “(8)
God commendeth His
love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much
more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through Him.” And ten in Romans 10:9 we are told: “If you shall confess with
your mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in your heart that God has raised
Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” This is pretty clear that without Jesus,
there is no escaping Hell.
Rejecting Jesus brings the wrath of God as we are told in John 3:36: “He who
believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he who believes not the Son shall
not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.” That does not sound like a
God who will dismiss sin even though He may love the sinner.
Jesus described Hell quite extensively in Luke 16:19-31
when He told the parable
of the Rich man and the beggar named Lazarus. In that parable both die and while
the angels took the beggar into the bosom of Abraham in Paradise (where all
Believers went before the Cross). We see the rich man in Hell being tormented
while at the same time he is able to see Lazarus with Abraham “afar off.” There
are no unbelievers in Hell. The rich man repented, but it was too late.
Salvation must come before death. It is upon death that all will be judged and
dealt with accordingly.
Something else our Bible reveals to us is that there are degrees of punishment
in Hell. Verses 21-24 of our text speak of Tyre and Sidon having received mighty
works from God but did not share what they had received. Had they done that,
others could have repented. Those in Capernaum were very prosperous but rejected
Christ and most of its inhabitants went to Hell. Had they shared the mighty
works done in their land, Sodom may have remained until today. But instead, it
became a corrupt land that was eventually destroyed by God. This tells us that
the Christ rejector is morally lower than the idolators of Tyre and Sidon, or
the citizens of Sodom and all will be punished accordingly. Clearly there will
be degrees of punishment in judgment and therefore in Hell.
The degrees of punishment are based on one’s opportunity. Chorazin and Bethsaida
received many blessings but did nothing with them. Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom were
given less light but were still punished. And we learn through the words of
Jesus that there is eternal life for those who accept Jesus and there is also
eternal life for those who reject Him. This is confirmed in Matthew 25:41 which
states: “Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, you
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” There is
an everlasting fire for the devil and his angels. There might be a difference in
degree, but not in duration.
Later, when we study Revelation, we will learn more about Hell and the future of
the satanic trinity – consisting of the devil, the beast, and the false prophet
– each of whom will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire forever. And
those who are not in the Book of Life will join them.
Everyone has a choice. God will not force anyone to come to Jesus, but every
decision has consequences. If you want to avoid Hell, you must come to Jesus
with your sins. Receive Him by faith, as your Lord and Savior. Make that
decision to spend eternity with the One who died to save you from Hell.
God doesn’t send people to Hell, people send themselves there based on the
choices they make in life. Our God went to great lengths to prepare a way to
allow sinners to come to Him.
Don’t make the mistake of rejecting what He has done for you through His Son, Jesus.
Sunday June 5th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
WHAT IS WRONG WITH
EVERYBODY?
Genesis 1:26-27; 3
Throughout the ages, many people have asked the question: What is Man (meaning
of course the human race not just the male portion)? How did we get here? Some
answer that man is the product of millions of years of evolution; while others
say man is a special creation of God.
Another question that has been asked throughout the ages (and even more so
today) is What is Wrong with Everybody? Philosophers have asked this question
throughout history, psychologists ask the question in countless therapy
sessions, and criminologists ask this question every time there is an increase
in crime. And all of us are asking the question each and every time we turn on
the news, read the paper, or scan through social media. What is Wrong with
Everybody? The answer to both of these important questions is found in the
Bible. Genesis 1:26-27 tell us: “(26)
Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and
over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth;
(27) So God created man in His Own image, in the image of God created He
him; male and female created He them.” We see in
Genesis 2:7 that man was created from the dust of the earth. We also
learn that man’s creation was the crowning achievement of God’s creation because
it says in Genesis 1:26 that man will have dominion over the earth.
What is meant by the “image of God?” Well, like God, Adam and Eve had intellect,
emotion, and will. Each one of these characteristics -- including gender as male
or female -- are the requirements of personhood. And at this point, both Adam
and Eve were without sin. God placed them in the perfect environment – the
Garden of Eden.
But we learn in Genesis 3:1-6 that they came
under the influence of the fallen angel, Satan, causing them to fall into sin
and destroying their perfect image. Genesis 3:6 says: “And when the woman
saw that the tree was good for food (introduced the lust of the eyes), and that
it was pleasant to the eyes (introduced the lust of the flesh) and a tree to be
desired to make one wise (introduced the pride of life), she took of the fruit
thereof, and did eat (which caused the fall); and gave also unto her husband
with her; and he did eat.” We learn that Adam was there observing the
interaction between Satan and Eve. Some will say she offered the fruit to him
out of love, but it is important to note that no one ever sins out of love; Eve
submitted to the temptation out of deception, but Adam was not deceived; he
simply did not believe what God had said about the fruit.
God was very gracious giving Adam and Eve access to all the Garden had to offer
with one exception. The tree of the forbidden Fruit. It is often referred to as
an apple, but we have no idea what that fruit is. Yet they chose to disobey
their Lord and as a result, the entire human race fell into sin.
Romans 3:10-23 tell us what is wrong with
everybody. None of us are righteous, none of us actively seek after God; all of
us have gone out of the way of God and are unprofitable. We lie, curse, commit
crimes, and are unworthy to be in the sight of a just and righteous God. We have
all sinned. Don’t believe me? Look around you. Crime is the highest it has ever
been. There are no consequences for any wrongdoing. Those charged with
prosecuting criminals and thus allow the crime to continue are no better than
those committing the crime. Human remedies to fix the problems fail. Education
and legislation, prosecution and punishment fail to take away the sins of man.
There is only one way to fix the sinfulness of man and that is through the grace
of God and the sacrifice of the so call second Adam – Jesus Christ. Romans
5:12 shows us that because of Adam, all man became condemned sinners.
But there is hope. Romans 5:18-19 tell us that because of the obedience
of Jesus Christ to God at the cross, all of mankind can receive the free gift of
salvation and be free from their sin. This can happen simply by believing in
Christ and what He did at the cross and asking Him to come into your life and
change you in ways that will make you stand out in this world. That is how we
are restored to the ‘image of God.’ His death redeems us. His resurrection
guarantees that He lives to keep us. His Spirit dwells within us to enable us to
live righteously.
What is wrong with everybody? They have lost their appetite for God and Jesus.
God’s purpose for man in creation is now realized because of the death of Jesus.
Man can once again have fellowship with God through faith in Christ. The lives
of all who choose this path will be enriched beyond belief. It is not that they
will not have problems, it is that they will have help through the trials and
tribulations that will come in this life in a sinful world. And more
importantly, there is the promise of eternal life that is indescribable by human
capabilities.
The answer to what is wrong with everybody is Jesus Christ. No one can encounter
Jesus and remain unchanged.
We all need to be aware that there are evil forces at work in the world today
whose goal is to take as many people as possible into the bowels of Hell. All
this talk of social justice and using Jesus as the catalyst to sell it are
engaging in gaslighting. Unpunished crime is not and never will be a good thing.
There has to be justice in a civilized society for without it all we have chaos
and fear. The nuclear family is being demeaned and destroyed. Those selling the
idea that gender dysphoria is a real thing are being misled by Satan and by
pushing this concept on little children and encouraging it to be hidden from
parents make them Satan’s henchmen.
The division in this country is real and the only way to fix it is to look to
God and take solace in Jesus Christ. II Chronicles 7:14 says: “If my
people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My
face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will
forgive their sin and heal their land.” The only thing that will turn this
country around is fervent prayer. Without it, there is no hope of turning
around. We are in the last days and our only hope it to make sure our hearts are
right with God and that Jesus is guiding our steps each and every day.
Trust what the Bible tells us.
May God Bless you richly and may you remain close to Jesus.
Sunday May 29th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
JESUS at a GRAVE
John 11:38-45
Tomorrow is Memorial Day. While many have turned it into a celebration of the
beginning of summer, it actually is the day the country has officially set aside
to remember those who have died in battle while serving this nation to
protecting our freedoms. It reminds us that freedom is never free and there is a
high price to pay if we are to keep those freedoms. All too often we take
lightly the blessings bought with the blood of those who serve. We remember
those who have died by attending ceremonies to commemorate their sacrifice and
also by decorating their graves.
And we also remember those who have last loves ones while they were serving.
Losing a loved one is not easy. It leaves a void that will not be filled in this
life. And while the shock and grief fades with time, life is never the same for
those who mourn the loss. But there is good news: we do not mourn alone.
I would like to show you what Jesus did at a grave because it will show us that
we are not alone, and it will give us insight into who Jesus really is. Our text
is John 11:38-45. “(38) Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself
comes to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. (39) Jesus
said, “Take ye away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said
unto Him,” Lord, by this time he stinks: for he has been dead four days.”
(40) Jesus said unto her, “Said I not unto you, that, if you would believe,
you should see the glory of God?” (41) Then they took away the stone from
the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said,
“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. (42) And I knew that You
hear Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they
may believe that You have sent Me.” (43) And when He thus had spoken, He
cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth. (44) And he who was dead
came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about
with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, “Loose him, and let him go.” (45)
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus
did, believed on Him.”
If we look back earlier in the story, we can see Jesus meeting with the sisters
of Lazarus which clearly shows that He understood their grief. He himself wept
and groaned inside as we are told in verse 38.
Even though Jesus had come to resurrect Lazarus, He still cried with those who
were grieving their loss. He understood Mary’s broken heart and Martha’s tears.
He understands the same grief within us when we are separated from those we love
by death – and He cries with us!
This is the same Jesus that brings us the promises of everlasting life, heaven,
and resurrection. Yet even though we know this, it is normal to grieve when
loved ones die. Tears are God’s safety valve for our emotional health. Jesus
understands this because He also groaned and cried.
There are a lot of people out there who may understand the pain of grief but do
nothing to help others when they are grieving. Our Savoir fully understands, and
He enters into our pain so that He may help us through the grieving process. He
enters into our pain so He can minister to us. Remember, Jesus saw the pain of a
blind man and gave him sight; He saw the pain of a lame man and made him walk;
He saw the pain of ten lepers and restored their health. And He is here today
entering into our grief and pain.
How do I know this? Because I have experienced His comfort when I lost those I
loved and because when I look at the cross, I see how it proves His love all of
us. He died a horrible death to pay for our sins. He assured the dying thief
that he would go to paradise. He rose from the dead to defeat the finality that
death would otherwise have meant for us. When we bring our pain and sorrow to
the One who cares, we will find a peace through our suffering that only Jesus
can give us. Jesus offers hope to all those who are hurting. We have a tender
Savior that is always triumphant as evidenced by those He has helped while here
on earth and by His resurrection after having died on the cross.
Even though the cross had not yet happened when He was with Mary, Martha, and
Lazarus, He nonetheless was up to the task before Him. We see in verse 39 of our
text He asks for the stone to be taken away and the in
verse 43 Jesus calls for Lazarus to come out of the tomb – and he
does!
Jesus gives hope on the darkest of days. He does it for all who honestly believe
in Him and accept what He has done on the cross. Only Jesus makes a way through
the darkest days of our life. All we need do is bring our broken heart to Him
and let Him work within us to bring the peace and comfort we desperately need.
If you have memories of lost loved ones that bring you down, allow Jesus to
minister to you in your grief. If you have experienced hurt and disappointment,
take it to Jesus. Trust Him because He genuinely cares for you.
As the nation mourns the senseless killing of the children and teachers in the
school in Texas, please keep their loved ones in your prayers. Ask our Savior to
give them the peace, comfort, and courage they need to get through the days
ahead.
There is evil in this world and this nation is seeing it spread as a result of
the consequences of removing God from our schools and public square. The rise in
mental illness and the breakdown of the family and Christian values is what
causes individuals to act this way because it allows Satan to prey on the weak
and vulnerable among us.
The government – at all levels -- does not help when it refuses to prosecute
crimes instead of enforcing laws and giving consequences to those who commit
crimes. Our Bible teaches us that sin has consequences. It must be no different
in the society in which we live. One day all will have to answer for their
actions. Those who commit crimes and those who look the other way will all be
held accountable before our just and righteous Lord.
We must all pray for this nation. Pray that there will be an awaking to the need
to turn back to God. Otherwise, this nation is doomed and those who will be
remembered this Memorial Day will have died in vain. That is the only hope we
have. But most important, make sure your own heart is right with Jesus and that
your salvation is secure, no matter what happens in the days and weeks ahead.
May God bless you richly and keep you close to Him. Remember, always look to
Jesus as your comforter, friend, teacher, and most important, your Savior.
Sunday May 22nd, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
MARY, MARTHA, AND THE
MASTER
Luke 10:38-42
After service last Sunday, I was at my piano reviewing the songs that we sang
and for some reason I zeroed in on “Sitting at the Feet of Jesus.” That song has
spoken to me ever since I first heard it performed by the Gaither Vocal Band
many years ago. That prompted me to look a little further into sitting at the
feet of Jesus and I thought about Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. There
are important things we can learn from these ladies this morning. Our text is
Luke 10:38-42: “(38) Now it came to pass, as they went, that
He entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received Him
into her house. (39) And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at
Jesus’ feet, and heard His Word. (40) But Martha was cumbered about much
serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord do You not care that my sister has left
me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. (41) And Jesus
answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about
many things. (42) But one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good
part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
The travels of the Lord often took Him to Bethany, and He often visited his
friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. It is clear this was a place He felt at home
and these three people were very dear to Him. One question should come to our
minds and that is: If Jesus were to visit, would He feel at home in my home?
Think about that.
The experience described in the text pertains to all of us. Mary is sitting at
the feet of Jesus and Martha is working and complaining. I am confident
something like this happens in all of our homes as well.
To be able to sit at the feet of Jesus is a blessing that words cannot describe.
In verse 39 we see Mary at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him teach.
Luke 8:41 tells us about Jairus, a ruler of the
Synagogue who fell down at Jesus’ feet and wanted Him to come into his house to
heal his daughter. This shows us that the feet of Jesus is a place of
submission. John 12:3 shows us that it is
also a place of devotion when John wrote how this same Mary at a later visit
took a pound of ointment of spikenard, which was quite expensive – it would cost
over $10,000 in today currency -- and anointed the feet of Jesus, then wiped His
feet with her hair. And then in Luke 8:35 we
learn the feet of Jesus is a place of peace as Luke describes the man sitting
peacefully in his right mind because Jesus has removed the demons that had
ravaged his mind.
Mary is an example of Christian learning, worshiping, and devotion. We all must
develop the habit of sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him and
learning from Him so that He may teach us how to live a Christian life. If we do
not do this, we cannot grow, we open ourselves up to be overcome by temptation,
we miss out on the peace that only He can bring, and we will be nothing more
than humans ruled by the knowledge of the world instead of the spirit of God.
Martha was overloaded with the work of the home that she kept. We see in verse
40 the woman was not happy. She even tried to get Jesus to have Mary help her.
Martha felt she was not able to worship Jesus like Mary did which caused her to
be upset, made her talk instead of listen, become critical of her sister, and
doubt the love of Christ. She became discouraged.
But we should not be harsh with Martha. It is true there was work to be done.
Jesus and the disciples had to be fed. No doubt there were other household
responsibilities weighing on her as well. But the lesson we can take away from
this is to beware of the barrenness of busyness. In other words, do not let
busyness overtake our worship and devotion to our Lord and Savior. We must find
a way to make the time to study our Bible and to learn from the life of Jesus so
we can be more like Him.
Verses 41 and 42 show us a beautiful example
of the love of Jesus. When He addressed her, He said “Martha, Martha.” This is
the same way He addressed Simon Peter when Satan attacked him shown to us in
Luke 22:31 where Jesus said, “Simon, Simon.” And then in Acts 9:4, Jesus
said “Saul, Saul” who had fallen down on the road to Damascus. All three times
Jesus was displaying the tenderness He has for those He loves.
Jesus told Martha she was careful and troubled about many things. While those
things were important, they were not the most important thing she should have
been concerned about.
Martha’s important omission was neglecting the need for worship. All too often
we too leave out this most important thing. Work and life’s responsibilities are
better balanced by listening to Jesus. You see, only Jesus has the ability to
look within each of us and see the troubles that pull us away from Him. He knows
all about our cares. I Peter 5:7 tells us to
cast our care on Him.
Finally in verse 42of our text Jesus shows us that Mary chose the good part. By
listening to Jesus, Mary – and all of us – are put into the mind of God and He
tells us where our victory lies. Just like Mary, we also have this choice
available to us. When we chose Jesus, we are blessed beyond measure. And the
salvation He freely gave us can never be taken away.
The words of song
are:
Sitting at the Feet of Jesus, wondrous words I hear Him say! Happy place! So
near, so precious! May it find me there each day. Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
I reflect upon the past. For His love has been so gracious, it has won my heart
at last.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus, is there anywhere more blest?
Sitting at the feet of
Jesus, there I worship, and I pray. While I from His fullness gather Grace and
comfort for today.
Bless me, O my Father, bless me, all my inner life renew.
Now look down in love upon me, let me catch a glimpse of You.
Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus, Make me holy through His Word. May I prove
I’ve been with Jesus, been with Him my risen Lord.
When you take the time to sit at the feet of Jesus, I promise you will find that you still have the time and ability to manage all of your other responsibilities.
My prayer is that each of you spend may hours sitting at the feet of Jesus. Learn from Him and each time come away feeling His love and the peace that only He can provide.
Sunday May 15th. 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
MARKS OF MATURE CHRISTIANS (Growth #3)
Ephesians 4:7-16
Last week we talked about Guides for Growth in our Christian life. This week I
would like share some of the marks of a Mature Christian. Our text comes from
Ephesians 4:7-16 which says: “(7) But unto every one of us is given
grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. (8) Wherefore He
said, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men. (9) (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended
first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He Who descended is the
same also Who ascended up far above all Heavens, that He might fill all
things.). (11) He gave some, Apostles; and some, Prophets; and some,
Evangelists; and some, Pastors and Teachers; (12) for the perfecting of
the saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body of
Christ:(13) till we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ:(14) that we hence forth be no more children,
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight
of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (15)
but speaking the Truth in Love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the
Head, even Christ: (16) from Whom the whole body fitly joined together
and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual
working in the measure of every part, making increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love.”
What is it about Christianity that makes us different? Well, our Christian life
begins with spiritual birth, which takes place when we receive Christ as our
Savior. It is God’s plan for Christians that our walk begins with spiritual
birth then we grow and mature. As “infant” Christians we are more concerned with
self than service to others, with argument rather than action, and with looking
to people rather than to God for guidance and help. But as we mature in our
faith, we learn to leave these characteristics behind. How can we recognize the
maturing of our faith? Verses 11 and 12 of our text gives us some
insights.
A mature Christian is a believer with a mission. Perfecting means maturity. The
grace shown to us on the cross by Jesus is the His gift to the Church that
brings us to maturity.
Because of that, we are to learn as much as we can about the love shown on at
the cross, use it in our own lives, and bring it to others. The apostles and
prophets did this through their writings. Evangelists use their special
ministry.
Pastors and teachers have the primary responsibility in bringing about Christian
growth. But all too often a mistake is made in understanding the pastor’s role.
First and foremost, the pastor is not the head of the church. That title belongs
only to Jesus. And all who accept and believe in Him become part of the body of
Christ, which means part of the church. In recent times, the pastor alone has
become the one who does the work of the ministry instead of spending time
“maturing” others to join in. And today, instead of being participants in the
church body, too many Christians have become spectators. Pastors perform and the
people go home to talk about it. Too many believers feel their responsibilities
end with just supporting pastors and missionaries. When in reality, mature
Christians, regardless of their title, have a responsibility to build up other
believers to edify (which means to build up or help along) the body of Christ.
What can mature Christians do to build up the body of Christ? Prayer is at the
top of the list. Pray for all the parts of the church body. Every single person
brings something special and unique to the church and thus has a role to play.
It is up to each of us to determine what that is and then through prayer, let
the Holy Spirit show us how put our abilities into service for Jesus. We should
always pray for those who are lost, sick and the hurting.
James 1:27 tells us to visit the fatherless and
widows. We can care for the physical needs of the church body by helping those
in need whatever we can. Today, too many Christians have put aside the servant
part of their faith and instead have allowed social service agencies to take
over. While what they do is important, too often there is not enough time,
money, or resources to help everyone. And allowing the agencies to take over
leaves too many Christians out of the process.
We can help care for the spiritual needs of the church body, living and teaching
the scriptures, and being peacemakers when the situation presents itself. The
success of our work will be seen as we watch others become stronger in Christ
because of our participation in their lives. And that makes the Body of Christ –
the church – more unified.
Verse 14 shows us that mature Christians must have a Bible basis for
every one of their beliefs. This is the real evidence of their growth and
maturity. The stronger our belief and understanding of the Bible is, will ensure
we will no longer be “tossed to and fro” and be attracted to cult like teachings
because we have a solid doctrine on which stand. It is critical that we know why
we believe what we believe and that comes directly from God’s Word. Maturity in
the Word of God brings maturity not only in our faith, but also in our life.
It is so very important that we examine our lives and look for the marks of a
mature Christian. We should look to see what areas are in most need for
continued growth in our faith. There is no shame in asking help from others on
our road to Christian maturity. We are all in this together. And will we all
have ups and downs that can stall our growth. It is at these times that a kind
word, a helping hand, or some extra time taken to explain something can do so
much to help someone that we may not have realized was feeling lost or confused.
That is part of have having a servant’s heart – the heart of Jesus. He is our
prime example of what our goal is in becoming a mature Christian.
As we allow our Christian faith to mature, we will find that our lives will
become more meaningful and more peaceful. Yes peaceful. It doesn’t mean we will
not have problems, It means that when those problem come, we can look back on
how we were helped before and move forward knowing that Jesus is watching over
us and He will give us the help we need to overcome whatever Satan is putting in
our path in an attempt to derail our spiritual growth and maturity.
So, pray, study, and reach out to help others in any way that you can. That is
what becoming a mature Christian is all about.
May God bless you and keep you as you grow in grace and maturity.
Sunday May 8th. 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
GUIDES FOR GROWTH (Growth #2)
Text: I Peter 2:1, 2, 21
Last week CJay introduced a series about spiritual growth through the grace of
God. As we continue with the subject of growth, I would like to offer some ideas
on how we can grow as Christians. Our Text comes from I Peter 2, verses
1, 2 and 21: “(1) Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile,
and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, (2) as newborn babes desire
the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby. (21) For even hereunto
were you called: Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that
we should follow His steps.”
We are all familiar with what physical growth is all about. The way an infant
grows easily tells the story as the infant becomes a toddler, goes to school,
turns into a teenager, and ultimately becomes a mature adult. But we must
acknowledge that it’s always a tragedy whenever a child doesn’t make it to
adulthood. It brings pain and suffering to all who loved that child, and we
grieve for all the potential of what might have been but is now lost. There is
no doubt that Jesus grieves for all people who reject Him and instead choose to
follow Satan and the world he commands.
Growth in the Christian life has stages as well. There is the new birth, then
growing in faith and ultimately becoming a mature Christian. Very often we see
Christian growth in the words of the hymns we sing: “To Jesus every day I find
my heart is closer drawn,” “Everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before,”
and “Into the love of Jesus, deeper and deeper I go.” Just to name a few.
It’s a fact that to become a Christian requires us to relinquish many things
from our former lives. As children, we all had – and may still have in our
possession -- cherished relics such as a favorite doll, blanket, or special toy.
I remember my blanket vividly. There is even a photograph somewhere of me
holding it while it was drying on the clothesline. For years, my Mom kept the
little piece that was left of it in her hope chest. The point is, it’s natural
to let those cherished items go when we become adults.
But what must we give up if we are to become mature Christians? Paul wrote in
I Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I
understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away
childish things.” And that’s what we must do as we grow as Christians. We give
up the things of our past life that we naturally outgrow.
In verse one of our text Peter speaks of guile (which is deception, duplicity,
and cunning), hypocrisies and envy, and all evil speaking. What exactly does
that mean? When we become Christians we must let go of malice, bitterness, ill
feelings toward others, envy of others for what we might not have but want, and
we shouldn’t speak ill of others. This doesn’t happen all at once. It is
actually a continuing struggle. But our goal as we grow is to leave that all
behind and instead, extend grace and understanding to those who cause us strife.
Like Paul instructed the Corinthian Church, we are to put away all of this kind
of behavior because it destroys our relationships with others but more
importantly, our destroys our relationship with Jesus Christ.
So, after putting away the behaviors of our previous life, what should we focus
on to become a mature Christian? Verse 2 of our text points us in the direction
we need to go: we are to focus our desire on the sincere milk of the Word of God
in order to grow in our Christian walk.
Just as babies need proper nourishment to grow healthy and strong, Christians
also require the proper food to grow in their relationship with Jesus. We should
always examine our lives to see what we are feeding our minds, our hearts, and
our souls. Then ask if there is anything we are doing that is holding back our
spiritual growth. Because we live in a fallen world ruled by Satan, there is a
lot around us that can be detrimental to spiritual growth. These things include
our choices in reading material, television programs and movies we watch, social
media sights we follow, and even people we interact with socially. There is so
much profanity, sex, unhealthy relationships, drinking and drug use around us,
and it could be holding us back from a growing relationship with our Lord.
Another important part of spiritual growth is to be aware of who we look to as
heroes. As kids, heroes are a part of our childhood; but as we mature, they fall
short of our expectations or needs so naturally we lose interest.
A young Christian may idolize the person who led them to Christ, or we may be
attracted to particular Christian musicians, writers, or evangelists. While this
isn’t a bad thing, it cannot be the only place where we get our spiritual
nourishment. We should continually examine those we follow to ensure that what
we get from them is in keeping with God’s word because the most important thing
to our Christian growth is to study our Bible. We are so blessed to have His
word because it is the direct instruction from God our Father on how we are to
live our lives. The Bible is difficult to understand, but there are so many
versions and study guides available that can help you to expand your knowledge.
You can always talk with me about some of these sources. As Christians our
hunger for God’s Word must be like an infant’s hunger for milk.
Verse 21 of our text reminds us that it is critical that we keep our eyes on
Jesus at all times and use Him as our guide every day of our lives. The way He
lived His life as a man while on earth is the goal we should all set for
ourselves. I will be honest with you -- we will fall short of this goal many
times. But that should never keep us from continuing on the path that He has
laid out for us. When babies are learning to walk they fall all the time. We
also will fall a lot. When we find that we failed to live up to His standard, we
shouldn’t beat ourselves up. Remember, He is perfect. You and I are not. But
Jesus knows that. When we fail we need to humble ourselves and ask for
forgiveness and then for the strength and courage to get up, go out, and keep
trying.
Finally, I encourage us all to periodically do “growth check” to see if we are
holding on to any relics of our past life or looking to sources to guide us that
aren’t biblical. This will become clearer as you study the Bible. These kinds of
things could be holding you back from a full and complete relationship with
Jesus. Also, we need to monitor our devotional life: are we making time for
daily prayer and Bible study?
All of this is important in order to grow and mature as Christians.
May God continue to bless you and keep you close to Him at all times.
Sunday May 1st, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: C.Jay McCann
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2022
GROW IN GRACE
II Peter 3:
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and for ever.
Amen.
The Christian life begins with a Birth. The New birth which we are speaking of
is when we receiving Jesus Christ as our personal savior, we are then born
again.
John 1:12-13
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name,
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3:1-8
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish
ruling council. (2) He came to Jesus at night and said,“Rabbi, we know that you
are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are
doing if God were not with him.” (3) Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no
one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (4) “How can someone
be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second
time into their mother’s womb to be born!”(5) Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell
you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the
Spirit. (6) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
(7) You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
(8) The
wind blows
wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from
or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
This is What Separates the Gospel from Religion.
Religion is man’s effort to reach up to God's salvation as outlined in the
Gospel is God coming down to man
and making him a New creation. But After Birth Comes Growth as we read and study
God's Word.
What is Growth in Grace?
1. What it is Not:
a. It is not becoming more saved, than at the moment of conversion.
b. It is not becoming more pardoned, than when converted.
c. It is not becoming more justified, than at salvation.
What is Christian growth?
J.C.Ryle, first Bishop
of
Liverpool of the Church of England
(May 1816-June 1900)
“When I speak of growth in grace, I mean, increase in the degree,
size strength, vigor and power of the graces which the Holy Spirit plants in a
believer’s heart”
Let's consider the expectations of physical growth:
Some examples are:
a. In a child
(infancy to adulthood)
It take nurturing,
teaching, instruction to mentoring and bring proper guidance.
b. Flower
(seedling to blooming),
When planting a seeds in the ground, we know germination takes time. Warmer
temps 70*
During germination, the new growth, thin and frail will push and struggle their
way through
some of the hardest soils and conditions. Some seeds fall through small cracks
of a sidewalk, parking lot, driveways.
As they curl their way out, some still have the shell still attached to the
leafy stem.
Growing toward the light. and flourishing with vibrant array of color.
c. A Fruit Tree
(root to full grown tree)
We know the importance of Zone planting, and factors such as Full or part sun,
acidity etc.
When all conditions are met and proper care they have a full life in maturity
they'll come to produce an abundance of fruit.
When fruit trees are neglected, going without pruning, the sun gets "blocked
out", which causes mold and disease destructive and will spread to every limb.
Eventually it loses it's ability to bare fruit.
d. The Gardener and his Garden
The gardener's responsibility is to grow in knowledge, read and learn importance
of knowing each plant and their individual needs
to thrive. The gardener will cultivate of the soil to remove roots, rocks, clay
and sandy soil needs of nutrients. Adding natural compost to allow "plants main
roots" to get a jump start, which plays a key role in early stage of seedlings
growth. With proper care prior to planting,
will allow these secondary roots, those which feed and take in water
to branch off that main.
The entire root system was cared for and developed.
Gardeners responsibility is to ensure this process will give the crops the very
best conditioning needed for an abundant harvest.
However, slugs, larvae, cutworms lurk about waiting to devour your most precious
crop.
Let's consider bible evidence of growth in men
A.) Peter: From Backsliding to Blessing
Peter was, by his faith and actions, the greatest of the Apostles. Jesus changed
his name from Simon ("reed") to Peter ("rock").
Peter is the one who made the Great Confession that Jesus is The Christ;
Caught the fish with money in its mouth; he was the only disciple to walk on
water, and was in the inner circle of 3 disciples. The Lord Jesus saw him as a
trusted friend, because He saw the possibilities in Peter. Yet his loyalty to
Jesus disintegrated to the point where he denied the Lord. Then Peter called to
mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you
will deny me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept
How could that happen?
We have an enemy named Satan who wants to ruin or destroy us.
All believers Are, Can and WILL be vulnerable to attack by the Forces of Hell.
We must all be on our constant guard.
B.) Paul (also known as Saul) before his conversion from the Damascus Road to
the Roman Road.
Paul was
persecuting all New Believers to their death. prior to this event.
In Acts when Paul was on his way to Damascus
Acts 26:13-18
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of
the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we
had fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in the
Hebrew language, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to
kick against the goads, "and SAUL said, "Who are you Lord?" and the Lord said,
I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I
have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness to the things in
which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering
you from your people and from the gentiles to whom I am sending you to open
their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the Power of Satan
to God,
then they will receive forgiveness of sins and be given a place among God's
people who are sanctified ( set apart ) by faith in me."
Saul describes Jesus commission of him as his messenger to Gentiles which must
have amazed Saul,
(The Ultimate Gentile-hating Pharisee) to turn many from darkness to the light
and from the power of Satan to God.
God's Instruction is Swift and Clear
God's Word teaches us that, when God truly touches our hearts, our only response
can be,
"Lord, May your will be done and may you use me to do it."
John 14:15
If you Love Me, Keep my commands
1 John 2:23
Anyone who denies the Son doesn't have the father, either. But anyone
who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Phillippians 3:10
That I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.
John: From Son of Thunder to the disciple of love.
"Son's of Thunder"was the nickname Jesus gave James and John, two of his first
disciples. The nickname described the two brothers well.
Fiercely loyal, they were the ones who wanted to burn up a city when the people
refused to welcome Jesus. John began as a fiery fisherman,a son of Thunder, but
he became the Apostle of Love, a pillar of the early church who along with
James, the brother of Jesus and Peter led the church in accepting Paul as an
apostle.
Jesus takes who we are and makes us into who we are meant to be. He took John's
fierce temper and tempered it with love. He changed him from a man who wanted to
call fire out of the sky to punish the people who rejected Christ to the
man who wrote to defend love
and teach us to love in order to bring people who rejected Christ into His great
Love.
So What are the Evidences of Growth?
An increase of love
1 Thessalonians 3:12
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and
toward all men, even as we do toward you;
To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even
our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
with all his saints.
John 13:35
By this, shall all men know, that ye are my disciples, if you have
love for one another.
I John 3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the
brethren. He who does not love his brother, abides in death.
We are nothing without love, I Corinthians 13, Love suffers long and is kind;
love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not
behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not
rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
How Do We Get An Increase of Faith
To increase our faith, We must Feed and digest the Words of God through study of
the scripture. Faith comes by hearing the word of God, through the testimony of
the servants of God, combined with study and prayer.
II Thessalonians 1:3
We are bound to thank God always for you brethren, as it is fitting, because
your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds
toward each other.
What great promises attend, this fruit of the Spirit, when we live according to
God's Will. We get an increase of the knowledge of God.
Colossians 1:10
10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being
fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
a. We should be asking ourselves these questions:
What we saw in Christ, when we accepted Him as our personal savior?
Compared to now?
and
Where are we Now?
Compared to the day we accepted Christ?
b. Do we know more about God NOW
than when we were saved?
Getting to know God more, brings a greater desire for holiness in Your Life
Philippians 3:13
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth
unto to those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of
the high calling God in Christ Jesus
What are the means that God uses to help us grow in grace?
1.) He uses His Word
I Peter 2:2 as newborn babes, desire the "pure milk" of the Word, that you may
grow thereby
a. We never outgrow our need for milk.
Milk is loaded with calcium which strengthens our bones. God puts it into
wholesome, simple to understand terms we understand.
2.) He uses our private devotional time
3.) He uses public worship and service
4.) He uses the fellowship of believers, this Congregation, You & I
Do You know there’s a New US coming everyday?
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a New creature, The old things passed
away, Behold All Things Have Become New.
B.I.B.L.E.
Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth
Always Look in This Book First,
It's your source of Encouragement, Hope and Instruction and Guidance
He Uses Trouble and Experience
Romans 5:1
Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
By whom also we have access by faith, into this grace where in we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation
worketh, patience;and patience, experience
and experience, hope and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God shed
abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us.
Are we are
Growing in Christ?
Have we grown in our walk with the Lord?
Are we spending time in prayer?
Are we reading and studying?
Is Christ truly
the center of my life.
If we don’t see growth.
The problem is were backsliding.
We're missing quality time with The Lord
and need to get back into His Word
Quickly!
By Reprioritizing our lives,
it clears a "direct path"
to our Savior.
Time with Christ Frees - US
allowing MORE Time for God.
He fills us with His grace.
Eliminate things that draw us away from God
As we are Instructed in
II Peter 3:18
But
grow in grace,
and in the knowledge
of ourLord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Sunday April 24th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: C.Jay McCann
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2022
GOD AT THE DOOR
Revelation 3:20
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
if any man hear my voice, and open the door,
I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
John begins this book of revelation, by explaining how he received
this revelation from God.
Revelation1:1-20
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave unto him,
to shew unto his servants things
which must shortly come to pass;
and he sent and signified it
by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record
of the word of God,
and of the testimony of Jesus Christ,
and of all things that he saw.
The Setting and the Scene
John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos.
Some parts of Johns life are not clear and historical sources claim he was a
leader of the church at Ephesus.
John eventually was captured by the roman Emperor and ultimately sentenced to
Patmos. which was a small, rocky and barren area where many criminals of Rome
were went to serve out their prison terms in very harsh conditions. There were
mines on the island
that the criminals were forces to work. John was sent to the island for the same
reasons because the early Christians
were considered a strange cult group who were known for causing trouble within
the empire. Back in those days they didn't have electric lighting and surely the
darkness which filled each corner of these mines and the living quarter's were
far from the best conditions. But God comes calling.
After Johns arrived to Patmos. He began to have these visions that were
written into the Book of Revelation of the Bible.
Jesus’ messages to the seven churches was written by John.
Some historians and scholars claim that John died while on Patmos and others say
that he was freed from the island before his death.
No one is certain when or where he died, but many people do agree that he was
not executed like the other apostles. The vision John received begins with
instruction for him to write to the seven churches located in Asia Minor. He
both commends them for their strengths
and rebukes them for their flaws.
Each letter was directed to a church then in existence but also speaks to
conditions in the church throughout history. Both in the churches we attend and
in our individual lives, we must constantly fight against the temptation to
become love-less, immoral, lenient, compromising, lifeless or casual about our
faith.
The message for the Church:
This revelation is both a warning to Christians who have grown apathetic and
encouragement to those who are faithfully enduring the struggles in this world.
The Themes which are touched in Relvelation:
God's Sovereignty:
He Is Greater than ANY power in the universe.
God Is All Powerful and is in constant control.
He will bring His true family safely into eternal life.
Christ Return:
Christ came to earth as a lamb,
the symbol of his perfect sacrifice.
He Will defeat Satan.
The assurance of Christ's return gives suffering Christians the
strength to endure.
Since no one knows when he will appear, we Must be ready at ALL Times by keeping
our faith strong.
God's Faithful People:
Revelation identifies who the faithful people are and what they should be
doing until Christ returns.
God's Judgement:
God will reward the faithful with eternal life, but all who refuse to
believe in Him will face eternal punishment.
Hope:
One Day God will create a New Heaven and a New Earth.
All believer's will live with him forever in perfect peace and security.
As we look at Revelation 3:30
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
if any man hear my voice, and open the door,
I will come in to him,
and will sup with
him, and he with me.
It's a Familiar Text:
1.)Taught in Sunday School
2. Familiar in its language:
A man (Jesus) knocking at a door
3. Then, “Behold!” – Meaning Take Notice
Christ turns to the individual
Notice Where Jesus Stands
1. At the Hearts Door
2. The humble place.
Difficult to find some people who are willing to knock on doors.
a. Tough to get people to do door-to- door selling
b. Visitation programs are a continual struggle
c. Door-knocking can be a frightening experience for some.
3. How it is like Jesus to come to our most private, humble, intimate place,
"your hearts door" to come knocking.
Our Lord and savior, Jesus. Who was Born in a stable, lived among men, crucified
to death.
Died in your place, for your Sin. Comes knocking at your hearts door.
How are you living your life?
Are YOU Ready?
Suppose there was a knock on Your door this afternoon after service.
You answer and Jesus is standing there asking to come in?
How are You Living?
"Jesus, IS always knocking at your hearts door."
Why would our savior come knocking our our hearts door?
Because He Loves YOU,
No Matter What.
Because He understands and knows, your every need. Christ died for our sins, was
buried, and rose again.
Praise God!!
He came and died and took ALL, Not Some, But All Your Sin to the cross.
How strange that God should knock on our heart’s door.
What's Important to ask ourselves, is this: Do we recognize that He is there
now? Living within Your heart.
How does Jesus Knock
1. He knocks with His hand
The same hand of God created ALL things and spoke them into existence. The same
hands that dug into the earth and formed man. God IS in control of
Every circumstance, every situation which your living. You have a Mighty
Powerful God which is Living inside of You.
If you'll just answer to His calling.
We've heard that familiar song: He’s got the whole world in His hands
Our God IS Omnipresent:
Meaning Present Everywhere at The Same Time.
Our God is Omnipotent
The quality of having Unlimited or Great Power
The hand of God is setting the stage of prophetic fulfillment.
Nations and nature are moving according to His plans
He Calls as He knocks
a. “If any man hear My voice”
b. He speaks through His Word, the Bible
c. He speaks through His servants, ministers of the Gospel
(not just ordained - but ALL who are saved)
d. He calls in Love and with Urgency
What Jesus Will Do
"If We Open the Door to our hearts" and make Him our Lord.
1. “I will come into him”
2. The sure promise:
a. Our part is to open the door to our heart
b. The Lord’s part:
“I will come in”
3. How Can Jesus come in?
a. By His Spirit. The Holy Spirit.
b. We become partakers of the nature of God
II Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Our body becomes His temple
I Corinthians 6:19-20
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought
with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God's.
CONCLUSION
A. Do We Feel Him Knocking?
When you get that feeling as though your heartstrings are being tugged at.
It's an unbelievable, overwhelming sense off Joy.
Do we Hear His Voice?
It will always be Pure Love, soft, still and assuring.
Will We open the Door?
Allow Jesus to Come In, Welcome Him In and allow the flood gates to pour out
the depression, anxiety and stress your may be carrying.
By opening that door to your heart, you'll experience a Freedom to experience
True Life, More Abundant and Free with The Spirit of The Lord In Control of your
life.
So Let Go and Let God
Let Go and Let Jesus
Take The Wheel.
He'll take it from your hands and provide You a life, which will be More
Meaningful, Full of Purpose and Hope.
Jesus knocks at the door of our hearts because He has Saved us and wants to have
a personal fellowship with us.
He patiently and persistently waits to get through to us.
Not Breaking and Entering, but knocking.
He allows Us to decide whether to open our lives to Him and Welcome him in..
Do You intentionally keep his life changing presence and power on the other side
of the door?
We must always take time in our daily lives to listen and call upon Christ,
keeping Jesus our focal point.
Knowing He lives within
our heart, He is "our most personal savior and friend."
The load is less cumbersome and lighter when we communicate with Him, Trusting
Him as He is always knocking reminding us:
Listen: Jesus Is
Calling
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
if any man hear my voice,
and open the door,
I will come in to him,
and will sup with him,
and he with me.
Sunday April 17th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
WHO SHALL ROLL AWAY
THE STONE?
Mark 16:1-8
Happy Easter! Our Lord and Savior Jesus has risen and is alive sitting at the
right Hand of the Father until He is told to come get His children! The
resurrection is vitally important to our faith. Without it, there could be no
overcoming of the finality of death, nor could Satan have been defeated. All
four of the New Testament Gospels tell of the resurrection but this morning I
would like to focus on what Mark wrote in chapter 16, versus 1 to 8 which say: “
(1) And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of
James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
(2) And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came
unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sum. (3) And they said among
themselves, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?
(4) And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it
was very great. (5) And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in in a long white garment; and they were
affrighted. (6) And he said unto them, Be not affrighted; You seek Jesus
of Nazareth, who was crucified; He is risen; behold the place where they laid
Him. (7) But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goes
before you into Galilee; there shall you see Him, as He said unto you.”
So, imagine how these women must have felt. They had a grim task ahead of them
and they were concerned about how they would get the stone moved. But when they
saw the stone was already moved, they were afraid. Perhaps they were worried
that something might have happened to the body of Jesus. The angel first calmed
their fears and then confirmed what Jesus had said before His death: He was
alive and well and they would see Him soon.
Matthew 16:21 is one place in Scripture where we see Jesus telling
His disciples how He would again live after three days but somehow, they missed
that important piece of information. And He didn’t only tell this to the
disciples; He also said the same thing to the Jews in the Temple as we see
written in John 2:18-22. And they also
refused to take Him at His word.
Let’s look at the other things that the stone is telling us today. The women
were concerned that it blocked their access to the body of Jesus. But as it
turns out they didn’t have to worry. While the stone was designed to keep people
from getting in, it was also put in place to keep Jesus from getting out! This
stone also speaks of how death keeps our loved ones from us. When those we care
most about, we no longer see them here on earth. But this stone was rolled away
removing the concern of how the women would get in. For us, it’s confirmation
that we will one day be reunited with those who have gone before us in death!
The stone also speaks of the efforts of the enemies of Jesus. The tomb was
sealed at the request of the priests and Pharisees to prevent the body of Jesus
from being stolen; thereby giving the disciples reason to claim He was alive.
But their concerns were for nothing. Little did they know that God had a bigger
plan in mind. The faithless religious leaders and the Roman empire were all
enemies of Jesus. But today there are supernatural enemies of Jesus. Satan is
His enemy and so are the children of Satan. Ever since the Garden of Eden and
until the establishment of the eternal kingdom, demonic forces will be at large
trying to undermine the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth. But because of Jesus’
resurrection they are already defeated.
I will never forget a conversation Pastor Don and I were having one time about
the resurrection. He said that the stone was rolled away not to let Jesus out,
but to show the world that He was no longer in the tomb. Think about that. Jesus
was already gone when that stone was moved. Jesus didn’t require any act of man
to let Him out. His divine nature is what released Him and allowed Him to
overcome the sting of death for all of us. Our physical bodies may someday be
placed in a grave, but our new bodies will be with Jesus in Heaven until it is
time to enter the eternal earthly Kingdom ruled by Jesus.
I Corinthians 15:55-58 confirm for us how the death and resurrection
of Jesus removed the sting of death.
The stone at the tomb also speaks of anything that separates us from our Lord
and Savior. The women saw themselves as helplessly standing before the stone
because they believed it would keep hem separated from Jesus. For us today, sin
is the stone that separates us from Jesus as we can see in
Isaiah 59:1-2. But Jesus welcomes and forgives those who bring their
sins to Him. And Romans 8 shows us how those
who trust Jesus will never be separated from Him.
Because of Jesus, we can now have a relationship with God our Heavenly Father.
We can put all our fears away because the stone of our sin that once separated
us from God, is now gone because Christ has conquered death, caused by our sin,
through His resurrection. A Jewish friend of mine once said to me that she had
no problem believing that Jesus was crucified and that He is even the Messiah,
but she had a problem with the resurrection. So, I told her -- and you today --
that without the resurrection, there is not point to the crucifixion. If Jesus
stayed dead, there is no victory over death, and He would be just another man
that had died. We rejoice today because our Savior is alive and well and one
day, we will see Him face to face.
We have a lot to celebrate on this Easter morning. Don’t let the stone of sin
keep you from seeing Jesus for all that His is. Share His message of forgiveness
of sin and the promise of eternal life. May God help you to keep your faith
strong and give you the courage to share His good news with all who you meet
today and every day.
Good Friday April 15th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
IT IS FINISHED
John 19:30
Tonight, we’re here to remember the suffering and death of Jesus. While all four
gospels record the crucifixion, our text this evening is from
John 19:30 which says, “When Jesus therefore had received the
vinegar, He said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up the
ghost.” Remember it has only been a few days since He was welcomed as the King
of Kings into Jerusalem by the crowed of people gathered for the Passover feast.
The sound of hosannas had hardly died when they were instead crying “Away with
Him! Crucify Him!” One day you’re crowned and the next crucified. And who did
they ask to be freed in His place? A murderer named Barabbas. Proof that praise
by the world’s standards is always fleeting. If we think about this, we can see
that the world hasn’t really changed in 2,000 years. Have any doubts? People who
were worshiped as hero’s are being cancelled left and right for saying something
that offended someone else. Criminals are being released on the streets to
continue to commit crimes again and again. So little progress in society after
so many years.
Our Bible gives us seven statement made by Jesus as He was dying. After being
nailed to the cross and raised in shame for the spectators to see, He asked God
for their forgiveness when He said, “Father forgive them for they know not what
they do.” The Jews had rejected Him as their Messiah because they wouldn’t take
the time to understand Him or His mission and instead worked to have Him killed.
Yet, He forgave them. How many of us can forgive those who have wronged us?
The next documented statement was to one of two thieves that were crucified with
Him. This man showed Jesus his repentance when he admonished the other thief for
chiding Jesus about saving Himself if He really was the Christ. This thief asked
Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus said to him, “Today
shall you be with Me in Paradise.” Next, we see the love Jesus had for His
mother Mary. After seeing her, He said, “Woman, behold your son.” And because of
the unbelief of His siblings, He left the care of His mother with His beloved
disciple John when He went on to say to John, “Behold your mother.” From that
point forward, John took her into his own home.
It was at noon, the sixth hour, when darkness covered the earth. We aren’t told
the exact cause of the darkness, but we do know it was not the result of a solar
eclipse as some nonbelievers will try to reason away. Then three hours later,
the ninth hour or 3:00 pm, Jesus tells us why because He said in a loud voice,
“My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” He knew that even God Himself
couldn’t bear to watch the agony that His Son was experiencing so He took away
the daylight.
Now more than nine hours into the agonizing ordeal, Jesus knew He was close to
death and needed to moisten His mouth to speak again because He said, “I
thirst.” While one of the soldiers soaked a sponge with vinegar and gave it to
Him, Jesus said, again in a loud voice, “It is Finished,” followed by “Father,
into Your hands I commend My Spirit.” And then He died.
Let’s take a closer look at the sixth recorded statement, “It is Finished.”
Unbelievers and skeptics will look at this statement as words of defeat. These
are absolutely not words of defeat; these are words of completion and of
conquest. Many people leave this world with so many things never completed.
Think of the writer whose pen drops from his hand mid-sentence, or the painter
whose brush falls before the painting is done, or the chisel that tumbles from
the grip of the sculptor. How many of us have lost loved ones and friends who
still had so many things they wanted to accomplish?
The truth is, Jesus is the great finisher. We see in
Genesis 2:1 that Creation was finished.
Revelation 21:6 tells us that the new heaven and earth are ready when
God gives the word for Jesus to return and set up His kingdom. And our text
tells us that redemption is now finished with the sacrifice of the spotless Lamb
of God. Read Colossians 2:14-17 and we learn that all the requirements of
the law have been completed with the death of Jesus. His death ended all the Old
Testament sacrifices as we are told in Hebrews 10:11-18;
and as John tells us in I John 1:7, Jesus
took upon Himself all the suffering required to pay for our sins. JESUS PAID IT
ALL for me and for you.
When He cried out loud that “It Is Finished,” it wasn’t a cry of defeat. NO, it
was a cry of victory and He said it loud enough for Satan himself to hear. Satan
knows that he is condemned for his deception of Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan
knows that he and all his demons have been defeated at Calvary. Jesus endured
all the mocking and snide remarks from the religious leaders and skeptics at the
cross. They dared Him to come down from the cross and save Himself if He indeed
was who He said He was. But the truth is that Jesus could have ordered ten
thousand angels who were at the ready awaiting His call to save Him, but instead
He chose to stay and endure the pain and agony to defeat Satan once and for all.
Because of Him, no Christian should ever feel defeated by Satan. We are all
equipped to win the battle because we have a victorious Christ. Our debt of sin
is paid in full. We all know how good it feels to finally pay off a
long-standing bill. It gives us so much peace of mind to have that burden
lifted. Well, believing Christians have eternal peace of mind because Jesus paid
our sin debt in full. Remember the thief Jesus saved? If he can have salvation,
so can we! All it takes is faith and trust that Jesus is who He said He is, and
acceptance of His gift of salvation. Being a good person will not save anyone if
they refuse to accept Jesus and allow Him to come into their hearts and make the
changes in their life that only He can make. All who put their faith and trust
Him will be saved and can rest comfortably in His finished work on the cross.
Sunday April 10th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
PALM SUNDAY AND SUBMISSION
Text: Luke 19:28-40
Today of course is Palm Sunday or the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus into
Jerusalem. Our text is from Luke 19:28-40: “(28) And when He had thus
spoken, He went ascending up to Jerusalem. (29) And it came to pass, when
He was come nigh to Bethpage and Bethany, at the Mount called the Mount of
Olives, He sent two of His disciples, (30) saying, Go ye into the village
over against which at your entering you shall find a colt tied, whereon yet
never man sat: loose him and bring him hither. (31) And if any man ask
you, why do ye loose him? Thus, shall you say unto him: because the Lord has
need of him. (32) And they who we sent went their way and found even as
He has said unto them. (33) And as they were loosing the colt, the owners
thereof said unto them, why loose ye the colt? (34) And they said, the
Lord has need of him. (35) And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast
their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. (36) And as He
went, they spread their clothes in the way. (37) And when He was come
near, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the
disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty
works that they had seen; (38) Saying, Blessed by the King Who comes in
the name of the Lord; peace in Heaven, and glory in the highest. (39) And
some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him, Master, rebuke
Your disciples. (40) And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if
these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
This day is called Palm Sunday because many of the worshipers spread palm
branches in the road as a sign of reverence and worship. The people were
extremely excited to see Jesus. While we read from Luke today, each of the four
Gospels record this event.
When Jesus and His disciples left Bethany to go to Jerusalem, it was about five
days before the Passover – the most important Jewish feast commemorating the
saving of the Jews from angel of death in Egypt. The city was very crowded with
300,000 people there in anticipation of the upcoming celebration. But today,
let’s step back and take a look at how Jesus was actually submitting to the will
of His Father.
His disciples didn’t want Him to go to Jerusalem because it had become
dangerous. John 10:22-40 tells of an attempt
on Jesus’ life. He was confronted by the Jews in the Temple who asked Him to
tell them plainly if He was the Messiah; and after He did, they threatened to
stone Him. Then after Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead, the danger to
Him increased. The religious leaders wanted Him gone and were plotting how they
could kill him. Yet despite the danger, Jesus knowing His ministry was coming to
an end and he would soon die, submitted to the will of God His Father,
disregarding the concerns of His disciples.
Jesus also knew that by going to Jerusalem He would be fulfilling Old Testament
prophecies. Zechariah 9:9 speaks of Him
riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and Daniel 9:24 tells of the His arrival as
the King. Yet with all the adulation shown to Him that day, I can’t help but
think that He was more focused on the reason for His coming and the upcoming
events: there would be the Last Supper with His disciples, the first communion,
the trial, the scourging, and then the cross. Yet as troubling as this must have
been for Him, He was setting an example for all who will come after Him.
Philippians 2:5-7 tells us to “(5)
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (6) Who,
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; (7)
but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men.”
Jesus submitted to the will of His father wherein He left the glory of Heaven to
become a human just like us! How many of us would be willing to do the same
especially knowing what it would entail? Make no mistake. Jesus knew from the
beginning what He was headed for the moment He left Heaven. But He did it
anyway!
Next let’s consider the submission of the disciples to the will of Jesus. In
verses 28 and 29 of our text we see
that they followed without question His instructions concerning the colt. Jesus
told them to ‘go.’ He is telling us to go today. Our task is to tell others
about Him. Look at the colt: he was tied up and they were told to loosen him.
Today, sinners are tied up in the bondage of sin, but they can be freed by the
Savior. Jesus told them to bring the colt to Him. Bound sinners can be brought
to Jesus for total forgiveness. When He told the disciples “if any ask,” reminds
us that there will always be public opinions to contend with. Some will join the
cause of Jesus, and some will not, fighting all those who do. And finally, there
is the purpose of the colt: “The Lord has need of him.” Like the colt, Jesus
gives all believers a purpose in life. There are many people in bondage today
that are waiting to be freed and we have the source of that freedom who is Jesus
Christ!
In verses 35-40 we can see how even the donkey submitted to the will of Jesus.
That usually stubborn animal was brought to Jesus, covered with the disciples’
garments, and allowed himself to be used by the Lord to accomplish His mission
of salvation and restoration of sinners. Throughout the ministry of Jesus, we
see how the storms, the winds, the sea, the fish, the rocks and even animals
submitted His will. We must do no less. Because by doing so we will become part
of the coming kingdom of Jesus that is beautifully described in
Isaiah 11:6-8. The world ruled by Jesus will be
of the character and nature that God intended when He created the Garden of
Eden. People and animals will coexist and there will be peace. There we will
live a life of eternal peace and happiness. No more tears, pain, or death.
Submission in the Christian life is to one another, spouses, citizen to law, and
believers to church leaders, but above all this to Jesus. Salvation is a call
for each one to surrender their will to His will. By doing so, we will be
afforded a place in the eternal kingdom ruled by Jesus.
So, we must each look within ourselves to ensure that there aren’t things in our lives that prevent us from submitting to the will of our Lord. This world will always present pressures to question or even leave behind our Christian values and beliefs, but we must be strong and continually ask for strength to stand firm. Never forget what Jesus gave up in Heaven or how He willingly took on the shame of the cross in order that we could be restored to the loving relationship God wants with every person.
No sin is too terrible
that God won’t forgive if we accept Jesus as the payment for our sin and commit
ourselves to loving Him and telling others about Him. By doing so, the rewards
throughout all eternity will far outweigh whatever problems we will have to live
through until the day we see Him face to face.
Sunday April 3rd, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
The Most Loved Text on Heaven
John 14:1-6
Today I’d like to share with you the most loved text in the Bible. It’s found in
John 14:1-6 which says: “(1) Let not
your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (2) In My
Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may
be also. (4) And where I go you know, and the way you know. (5)
Thomas said unto Him, Lord, we know not where You go; and how can we know the
way? (6) Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no
man comes unto the Father, but by Me.”
Most of us are familiar with this passage. But let’s look at it a little deeper.
It’s part of the conversation Jesus had with His disciples during the Passover
celebration the night of the Last Supper. It occurred just after Jesus had told
Peter how he would deny the Lord. Even though Jesus was talking to His
disciples, He is giving us a vital message today. All we need do is open our
hearts and listen to what Jesus is saying.
The message is very poignant because of the setting -- Jesus would soon be
leaving His disciples; and because of its tenderness -- this passage is
overflowing with the love Jesus has for His disciples and every one of those who
believe in Him today.
Verse 1 gives every believer assurance. ‘Let not your heart be troubled.’ Jesus
had just told them that He would be leaving them. Even though He has told them
He would leave them many times throughout their time together, they still didn’t
fully comprehend what He was saying.
There are so many troubled people in the world today. They’re filled with fear,
anxiety, worry, and doubts about the future. Well, God wants to relieve every
troubled heart. This is confirmed in I Peter 5:7
which tells us to ‘cast all our cares upon Him; because He cares for us.’
In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said “(28)
Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(29) Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and you shall find rest unto our souls. (30) For My yoke is easy,
and My burden is light.” And then there’s John 14:27
where Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not
as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid.”
There’s a twofold application of the assurance we are given for the person who
has Christ as Savior at the point of death or for those who are left when Christ
returns. Jesus was assuring His disciples that God would keep and guide them
after He was put to death. And do you know what? That same assurance is given to
every believer today.
Verses 2 and 3 of our text speaks of ‘anticipation’ and tells us that there’s a
lot to look forward to: many mansions in Heaven, Jesus preparing a place for us;
and that death is a departure -- not an end. John 16:7 speaks of the
Comforter that Jesus sent first for His disciples and then to us at the point of
our salvation. But this could not happen until His mission on earth was
completed.
Philippians 1:21 tells us ‘…to die is gain’ because at that point we will realize the complete spectrum of eternal life. II Corinthians 5:8 tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Today there are a considerable number of professed believers that say, “I want to go to Heaven but I’m afraid to die.” Such a statement exposes a weakness of faith. If you take nothing else from this passage today, take this: death is a transition that will take us to a better place. And the best part of the transition is the opportunity to meet Jesus face to face. He said, ‘…where He is there we may be also.’ Think about that. Right now, Jesus is preparing a place for each one of us in Heaven so that we can be with Him for all of eternity.
And then there is the disciple Thomas who we also know as the doubting Thomas.
Remember after the resurrection and Thomas was told by those who had seen Jesus,
yet he refused to believe until he saw Jesus for himself. Apparently, Thomas was
a skeptic even before the resurrection. We see in verses 5 and 6 that Thomas had
concerns about exactly where Jesus was going and how could they know how to get
there. In response Jesus tells Thomas that He is the way. Not only for the
disciples but for all who believe in Him even today. Because Jesus’ death paid
the price of our sin, we are permitted into Heaven if we believe and accept Him
as our Savior. There are many who believe that being a kind and good person will
get them into Heaven. Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way. We are all sinners,
and our sin must be cleansed before we can be permitted into the presence of
God. Jesus is the spotless Lamb who paid the debt our sin caused by offering
Himself on the cross. Because that debt has been paid, believers have the keys
to the doors of Heaven.
No matter how some may want to spin it, Jesus is the only answer. Jesus alone
brings assurance and peace into our hearts as we navigate our way in this
mixed-up, crazy sin filled world. It is Jesus alone that gives us hope beyond
the grave. Think of that time when we will not only meet Him face to face, but
we will also be reunited with those who have gone before us!
Only Jesus can be trusted to help us solve all of life’s problems. Because He
died for us, our guilt and fear are gone. It is said that there are over 365
“fear nots” in the Bible. That’s a lot of instances that tell us not to be
afraid or to fear not. That’s also very comforting. No matter what we must face,
we need not fear because we have an all-powerful God and a loving Savior to help
and guide us through whatever Satan decided to put in our path. All we need do
is believe and let Him take over.
But the greatest thing that we have to look forward to is eternal life with
Jesus Christ our Lord. Don’t let fear and worry rob you of the joy that is given
to you. And never forget that it’s all because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the
cross.
Sunday March 20th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
IF JESUS SHOULD COME TODAY
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 2:28
We have been studying Daniel for the past several weeks and have plans to go on
to study the book of Revelation. We know in the end that God wins, but have you
thought about what would happen if Jesus was to return today? It’s true that
Jesus will return to earth someday but only God Himself knows when that will be.
There are millions who accept this intellectually, yet they don’t allow this
truth to change how they live their daily lives. Each of us should look within
ourselves to see if we knew for a fact that Jesus was coming today, what would
we need to adjustments in our lives.
There are so many signs that tell us the second coming of our Lord is very near.
Ezekiel 37 speaks of the restoration of Israel as a nation before the
second coming and that has happened. Ezekiel 38 and 39 present a prophecy
that many scholars believe speaks of Russia becoming a militaristic world power
wanting to take over the middle east. Well, Russia is a militaristic world
power, and it tried to take over the middle east when it invaded Syria and
Afghanistan and it currently is involved with Iran that we should be concerned
about. There is no question that the world is preparing for the antichrist which
we will learn more about when we get to chapter 13
in our study of Revelation. We can’t deny that there is a growing distain for
Christianity around the world. In addition, we are seeing signs in nature such
as famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in divers – or many different – places,
which are as described in Matthew 24:7. But
what will happen when Jesus comes? Let’s look at what will happen when He does
return. Our text this morning comes from two places: I Thessalonians 4:13-18
and later I John 2:28.
Let’s start in I Thessalonians 4:13-18
reads: “(13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are asleep (meaning believers who have died), that you
sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God
bring with Him. (15) For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord,
that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord Himself shall descend from
Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first. (17) Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort
one another with these words. This presents a clear picture of the Rapture.
If Jesus comes today, the Christians raised from the dead first is confirmation
that the grave is not a place of despair but rather holds the promise of eternal
life. Understand that when Christians die, they go to heaven immediately as Paul
tells us in II Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body (dead)
means we are present with our Lord in soul and spirit. The Rapture reunites
those gone before with their physical bodies. I John
3:2 tells us that the new body will be like the body of Christ. There
will be no more pain, sickness, suffering, limitations, or death.
Should Jesus come today, living believers would escape death. Many -- famous,
not so famous, and even infamous -- have died over the years. We’ve learned
through our Bible studies of Adam, Abel, Methuselah, Jacob, strong man Samson,
and so many others. Many are still dying today. But not all Christians will die.
Those who are living when Jesus returns will be caught up and changed to meet
Him in the air and reunited with those who have gone before us. Those still
living will be translated – meaning changed like the prophets Enoch and Elijah
were without experiencing death. And what a blessed promise that is!
Yet, if Jesus should come today, some will likely be ashamed. That’s the second
part of our text in I John 2:28 which says:
“And now little children, abide in Him, when He shall appear, we may have
confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” This again points to
the Rapture and makes it clear that there will be those who will be ashamed when
Jesus returns.
The suddenness of His return will be in the “twinkling of an eye, ” and take the
whole world by surprise. Those who are true to Him and living out their faith
will have no reason to be ashamed. This is why we must take care that living out
our faith applies to all aspects of our life. We need to ask ourselves if, in
that moment of His return, will we be stuck in a fit of anger, or reading a
borderline book, or perhaps passing on a piece of gossip that we just couldn’t
keep to ourselves. We need to be careful about how we live every day of our life
and how we conduct ourselves all the time – not just on Sunday morning in
church. We need to ensure that we are ready for His coming.
The return of our Savior is a blessed and sobering event. As professing
Christians, we can never take it for granted. And we must do whatever it takes
to be ready at all times. It will be that moment in time we least expect that
will affect our eternity with our Lord. We must be willing to let this truth
change our lives and do the hard work to be ready for the moment that Jesus
returns.
Only God knows the exact moment that Jesus will return. But we must live as
though Jesus is coming back today. If that make us feel pressured, then we need
to take the time to make the necessary changes that will have us living our
lives in a way that will not cause us to be ashamed at the coming of our Lord.
To be Raptured with all the believers on earth at that time would be an
indescribable experience. I don’t have words to tell you what that would be
like. But what I can tell you is that anything you may feel you have to give up
or let go of to make sure you won’t be ashamed or embarrassed before Jesus will
fade in comparison to meeting Him with a clear conscience. Live your life
expecting Jesus to return at any moment. I promise you; it will be worth it. May
God bless you and give you the courage to live your life for Jesus.
Sunday March 13th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
THE JOY OF SALVATION
Psalm 51:12
Last week we looked at why Christians suffer. Today, I thought it would be good
to counter that with the joy of salvation. As we go through our lives and get
weighted down with things that happen to us along the way, we can lose the joy
our salvation brings to us. The joy of salvation comes from knowing God loves
us, that we have Heaven to look forward to, that our sins are forgiven because
of the Cross, and that while we will have trials, we have help to get us
through. Let’s look at how King David lost the joy of his salvation and
hopefully we can apply it to our own lives which will allow us to be happier
despite the difficulties we encounter as Christians. Our text is from Psalm
51:12 which says: “Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and uphold me
with Your free spirit.”
The entirety of Psalm 51 is a prayer of confession. We see that David is asking
for forgiveness, cleansing of his sin, and restoration of the joy that he had
previously found in his relationship with the Lord God. David was the leader of
his people politically, spiritually, and even musically. Yet he wrote this psalm
asking for forgiveness, and restoration of the joy he had previously known. What
did he do to lose it? He had an affair with a married woman (Bathsheba) and set
her husband up to be murdered in battle. Even though we will likely never do
something quite this bad, we can still identify with the psalm because we also
fail in our Christian lives. Why? Because we are imperfect humans in a fallen
world. And as we continue our journey, we are often guilty of pushing God away
rather than leaning on Him completely. We don’t take time to pray, we forget to
be thankful for the blessings we receive, and pride prevents us from asking him
for help and guidance. All these things can cause us to lose the joy of our
salvation. Let’s focus on just one statement that is found in our text:
“Restore unto me the joy of your salvation.”
If we do a quick search of all the Psalms we will learn that David had
previously known the joy that salvation brings. In Psalm 9:1 David said, “I will
praise thee.” Psalm 21:1 says, “The king
shall joy in Thy strength.” In Psalm 23:5 we
read “…my cup runneth over.” And in Psalm 34:1
David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times.” So even though David has
sinned, he knew if he confessed, God would restore joy to his life.
Why does our salvation give us joy? Well, we are assured of forgiveness of our
sins, we know we will go to heaven, there will come a time when we will be in
the presence of the Lord for eternity, and we have the savior Jesus Christ to
help us through all the ups and downs that we will surely go through in our
lives.
The word “Restore” at the opening of our text tells us that David had joy from
his salvation but at this point in his life, it was gone. Is David the only
person to have experienced this? Absolutely not. Every Christian will experience
this in their faith walk. All we have to do is look around and we can see many
people are filled with gloom that were once filled with happiness. So many are
burdened who once were blessed. Many are sad who were once filled with song. And
many are pouting who were once praising. Just as was David, many people today
have lost the joy of their salvation and can’t see a way forward to a better
day.
David longed to have the joy of his salvation restored and he prayed for it to
return. For David and for those today in the same situation, the road back
begins with remembering the joy that existed before. It requires confession of
sins that were committed along with a recommitment of faith in God and all He
provides, and then to live life knowing that God will always come through, no
matter what. So, if you or someone you may know has lost the joy of salvation, I
would encourage you to read Psalm 32 which is a psalm of the blessedness
of forgiveness. It reminds us that even though we are sinners, the Lord will not
condemn us, providing our Faith is in Christ who has taken the penalty of our
sin upon Himself through the cross. Never forget, it is only the true believer
who knows will know real joy in this life.
There are many things that Satan uses to pull us away from God which causes us
to lose the joy that our salvation gives. There will be times throughout our
lives when we will experience the loss of the joy. When we’re at our lowest and
don’t know which way to turn, that’s when Satan swoops in and takes advantage of
us. When we find ourselves in these situations, it’s more important than ever to
lean on our faith, look to God, and ask Jesus to intervene and restore us to the
joy that we know is possible. We can’t ever let our pride get in the way causing
us to think that we can get through it on our own. We can’t and we won’t. In
these crazy times that we are living in, keep your faith strong and never forget
that you aren’t alone. It takes some humbleness and a lot of prayer. But if you
turn to God and pray for restoration, the joy that you knew in the past will
come to you again.
Sunday March 6th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
WHEN CHRISTIANS SUFFER
1 Peter 4:12-19
It seems that no matter where we turn, we see so much suffering in the world and
even in our own lives. It can bring us down if we feel there’s no way to get
away from it. So, I thought it would be a good time to consider why Christians
suffer.
Our text comes from 1
Peter 4:12-19 which say: “ (12) Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing
happened unto you: (13) But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of
Christ’s sufferings; that, when His Glory shall be revealed, you may be glad
also with exceeding joy. (14) If you be reproached for the Name of
Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you: on
their part He is evil spoken of, but on our part, He is glorified. (15)
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or
as a busybody in other men’s matters. (16) Yet if any man suffers as a
Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
(17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God: and
if it first begins at us, what shall the end be of them who obey not the Gospel
of God? (18) And if the Righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the
ungodly and the sinner appear? (19) Wherefore let them who suffer
according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well
doing, as unto a Faithful Creator.”
When we made the decision to become a Christian, I can guarantee that none of us
thought that is would include suffering. We were more likely thinking that our
problems and heartaches are over, and we forward to going to Heaven. But the
fact is, suffering, while an unpopular subject, is a real part of life. Every
time we pass a hospital, we’re reminded that suffering is real. When we hear the
screaming sound of sirens it doesn’t mean that something good is happening. The
success of advice columnists, the number of suicide prevention and addictions
organizations clearly remind us that a lot of people are suffering. And it’s a
fact that Christians will suffer in their lives.
Peter tells us in verse 12 of our text that
suffering is not strange to Christians. It’s not an easy road to Heaven that we
are traveling. We have trials because we are part of a fallen race. We live in a
world where there will be wars and rumors of wars which put many people on edge.
There are always floods, tornadoes, earthquakes that happen, and sin runs
rampant and often unchecked because Satan’s fight for mankind too often brings
violence.
Christians particularly have trails because of the power of Satan. We read in
Ephesians 6:11-12: “ (11)Put on the whole armor of God, that
you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. (12) For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places.” The Devil himself is our adversary and we see that clearly in
what happened to Job in the Old Testament. We shouldn’t be surprised when he
attacks us. After all, we are on a collision course with the world. Jesus was
despised and rejected by the world because His life was in opposition to the
course the world is taking. As a result, through the centuries since Jesus
walked as a man, Christians have and will continue to suffer because of our
faith.
But Christians trails are different. Verses 13-14 of our text show us
that we don’t suffer alone. Other Christians stand with us during our suffering,
and even in our darkest hours, Christ is working in us and for us.
Romans 8:18 says “For I reckon that the sufferings
of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us.” As Christians, we can always find joy, no matter what trouble
we are facing because our Heavenly Father is always taking care of us and
preparing us for the future with Him. Look how Paul handled himself when he was
in prison. Acts 16:25
tells us that “..at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises
unto God, and the prisoners heard them.” Then there was an earthquake and
eventually the men were freed. With Heaven watching over us, we will get through
all the trials we must face.
Verses 15-19 of our text caution us to be careful that we don’t sometimes
bring suffering on ourselves. Verse 15 says “…let none of suffer as a
murderer, thief, an evil doer, or a busybody.” When we don’t place our faith
entirely in Jesus and the cross, Peter is telling us trouble can definitely find
us. We say we aren’t murderers, thieves or evil doers but thinks about
it….Busybodies murder people’s reputations. Cross words can cut like a knife.
Verse 16 goes on to tell us that we should not be ashamed to suffer because
this means our faith is strong and being tested. Sometimes Christians engage in
habits or practices that bring on suffering.
When this happens,
Hebrews 12:6-7 tell us that because the Lord loves
us, He disciplines us when we backslide.
Every single human being will be judged for the life they lived, and judgment
begins with Believers and their faith. We must commit ourselves to keeping our
faith strong and look to Jesus who is our role model on how we should live our
lives.
It’s so important for all of us to look within ourselves and determine if we are
willing to suffer as Christians. The Christian that can say they never find
themselves facing problems or trouble, it could be because Satan already has
them. If that’s the case, there must be a lot of prayer and life changes made to
get on the right track.
Our challenge this morning is to examine our lives to see if changes are needed,
to strengthen our faith, to release Satan’s hold on us, and to avoid bringing
suffering on ourselves. And we should never forget that the suffering we go
through is nothing compared to what Jesus went through on the cross for each one
of us.
So, examine your life continually to keep your faith strong and Satan at bay.
Then when trouble comes, you will be fully equipped to weather the storm.
Sunday February 27th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
COURAGE TO SHARE YOUR FAITH
1 Corinthians 9:22
As Christians, we need to have courage. Especially these days. Sharing our faith
is a requirement of every Christian. But it can be scary, so I’d like to share
with you some pointers for doing this. Our text comes from Paul in
1 Corinthians 9:22 which reads: “To the weak
became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men
that I might by all means save some.” Paul made a purposeful choice not to avail
himself of some of his Christians Liberties because he didn’t want to cause some
weak Christians to stumble. But he never did anything that would compromise the
gospel.
We know we are to share our faith. This charge comes from Jesus in
Matthew 28:18-20 which says: “(18) And Jesus
came and spoke unto them saying, all power is given unto Me in Heaven and in
Earth. (19) Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (20) teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with
you always, even unto the end of the world.” This passage is known as the Great
Commission and occurred just before Jesus ascended to Heaven. Sadly, though too
many times it’s the Great Omission because fear often keeps us from telling
others about Jesus. Personal evangelism is the greatest lack in most churches
today. So how can we conquer the paralyzing fear that keeps us from reaching out
to people about Jesus? There are three words that can provide the courage to
share our faith. They are Compassion, Communication, and Confidence.
We begin with Compassion. Paul said ‘…I am made all things to all men…’ When he
was Saul, the proud Pharisee and highly religious man who though himself above
all others, would never have spoken these words. Saul hated and tried to destroy
the church in its infancy. But on the road to Damascus, after a face-to-face
encounter with Jesus, Saul was changed to Paul and became a man filled with
compassion for the lost. He actively pursued them, prayed for them, and pleaded
with them to come to Christ. The former prosecutor became a preacher of the
gospel. Jesus is the supreme example of compassion for all mankind, especially
on the cross. Compassion allows us to conquer cowardice and creates courage.
When we care enough, we can overcome our fears and share our faith.
Next there is Communication. Paul continued in verse 22:
‘…that I might by all means save some.’ Courage grows with a sanctified
strategy. We need to pray for an approach that enables us to communicate with
those we want to share our faith. Strategy is important because witnessing, at
some point, requires words. In John 4:7,
Jesus said to the woman at the well, “Give me drink.” He had a strategy that
included the common element of water. In Acts 8:30
Philip said to the Ethiopian after hearing him reading the prophet
Isaiah ‘… do you understand what you are reading?’ When we put or faith on the
line to talk with others, we must always be kind and understanding so we don’t
alienate them.
And finally, there is Confidence. When Paul said ‘…that I might by means save
some…’ he expected results. He witnessed in faith. He wrote in
Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work
together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to His
purpose.” And he believed it. He stood before kings and judges, and he shared
his faith. When he was put in jail, he witnessed to his captors. He expected God
to use him in ways that would allow him to share the gospel. When we expect God
to use us in reaching lost souls, He will give us the tools we need to do it.
Will we always have success when we witness? No. Even Paul knew this. He said
that he might save “some” not “all.” But we should continue our efforts to share
our faith. Preparing a strategy or a plan of action can help, but we must also
pray for guidance and help from above. The Holy Spirit will provide us with all
Compassion, Communication, and Confidence require for our success in sharing our
faith. If we approach people with compassion, communicate our compassion in our
interactions and show confidence as we reach out to them, we will reach lost
people that we meet.
Sunday February 20th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
Five Life-Changing Words
I would like to talk with you about Five Life Changing Words. Our text comes
from Isaiah 6:1-8 which says: “(6) In
the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a Throne, high
and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. (2) above it stood the
Seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain
he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. (3) And one cried unto
another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts: the whole Earth is
full of His glory. (4) And the posts of the door moved at the voice of
him who cried, and the house was filled with smoke. (5) Then said I, Woe
is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the
midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
Hosts. (6) Then flew one of the Seraphim unto me, having a live coal in
his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the Altar (7) And he
laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; and your
iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged, (8) Also I heard the voice
of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I,
here am I; send me.”
Let’s start with a short Bible lesson. What Isaiah saw was actually a
preincarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. The vision places Jesus the
Savior in the midst of guilty and lost men, just as he was on the cross between
two thieves. And the word Seraphim, which means “fiery ones, is found no where
else in the Bible except here in Isaiah. They were stationed at the Throne of
God and are leaders in divine worship. The triple repetition of Holy, Holy, Holy
is understood by all ages of the Church as connected with the Doctrine of the
Trinity – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now, back to our five life changing
words….
We live in a crazy world and our faith is constantly under fire from outside
sources. And the fact is, there are millions of Christians out there who aren’t
living up to their full potential for many reasons. They’re caught in ruts of
unchanging routines; they’re busy but feel their lives are empty; or perhaps
they’re active but feel they accomplish very little. So, what’s missing from
their lives? It’s likely they may never have experienced the adventure of full
surrender to God through Jesus Christ thereby causing them to miss the joy of
involvement in the greatest work on earth which is winning people to Jesus.
Christians like these need to become like Isaiah and tell God: “Here am I; send
me.” What can we learn this morning from Isaiah’s vision and then make these
five words life-changers for each of us?
First, as we learn in verses 1-4, we learn
that we must see God as He is – not as we would like Him to be. Isaiah lived in
a wicked period of his nation’s history. His people had forsaken the Lord;
violence filled the land; immorality was rampant; alcohol flowed freely. King
Uzziah had been Isaiah’s hope for the nation -- but then he died. What is
described in the first four verses of chapter 6 can also be said about the world
we live in today. When you look around at all that’s happening, it’s no wonder
Christians are feeling helpless.
Isaiah realized his only hope was in the Lord. Do we feel the same way today? Of
course. Politicians were unable to solve root problems in Isaiah’s time – and
that’s still true today no matter what they may tell you -- only God can do
this. It was at this panic point that Isaiah was given a vision of the Lord in
all His Holiness. Our Lord’s holiness is revealed all throughout the Bible, but
most especially at the cross. And changing views of sin absolutely do not change
God’s Holiness. Nor does it change the fact that sin is still sin in the eye of
God. No amount of changes this world goes through will change what sin is.
Next, we must see ourselves as we are. As a result of the vision that Isaiah was
given, we see in verses 5 – 7 that he experienced an old-fashioned
conviction of sin. What does that mean? Well, he was able to see himself as he
really was. It takes a lot for all of us to look deep within ourselves and see
the kind of person – the good, the bad, and the ugly – as we really are. Because
he was made aware of the holiness of the Lord, Isaiah became acutely aware of
his own sinfulness. His response: “Woe is me, for I am undone because I am a man
of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” He had
an eye-opening experience that caused him to do some deep self-examination. Each
one of us must ask ourselves how long has it been since I measured myself by
God’s perfect standard? Have I been excusing my sins? Have I been comparing
myself to others to make myself look good? There’s no doubt we have all done
this. But there is hope for us. Just look to 1 John
1:9, which says: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We can never
be perfect in this life or live up to the standards of a just and all-powerful
God. The good news is He knows this and loves us anyway and is willing to
forgive us if we confess to Him.
Finally, we must see the World as God sees it. In verse eight we hear God asking
“Whom shall I send and who will go for Us (Us being another reference to the
Trinity)? A lost and dying world was the reason for God’s call to Isaiah. It’s
at that point that Isaiah stepped up and said, “Here am I; send me.” These five
words changed his life and launched him on a great adventure. Isaiah would spend
the rest of his life telling people about God. The same kind of conviction
happened with Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus in Acts chapter 9 when he
encountered Jesus as he was heading out to kill Christians. Saul, who later was
renamed Paul, experienced a true conviction of his sins, causing him to
surrender himself completely to Jesus -- and look what Paul was able to
accomplish.
The challenge to each of us today is to ask God to allow us to see lost people
as He sees them. Then, if we are willing to step up with the same five words
that Isaiah used, -- Here am I; send me - we too can experience a life changing
event that will relight a fire within us to do everything that we can to make a
difference in this world. When I say world, I don’t mean you have to travel
great distances. You can make amazing differences in your circle of friends and
associates by how you stand of for Jesus and conduct your lives in all actions
you take. Should you make this commitment, I guarantee that your life will never
be boring again.
Think on this and may God bless you.
Sunday February 13th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Pastor Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
PERFECT PEACE
Text: Isaiah 26:3
With all the chaos going on in this world, I though it would be good to talk
about peace. Peace is the longing in every heart. Of course, we would like to
have no stress, confusion, disagreements, and uncertainty in our lives, but the
fact of the matter is, that won’t happen in this lifetime. But our Bible gives
us some instruction on how we can find peace in this life.
Isaiah 26:3 tells us: “You will keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” In other
words, when we trust in Jesus and keep our minds focused on what He has done at
the cross, He will give us the inner peace we need to survive this earthly life.
The Bible presents three dimensions of peace: peace with God, peace of God, and
World peace.
The first, Peace with God, comes to us immediately upon salvation.
Romans 5:1 says: “Therefore, having been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The
moment we accept Jesus as our personal savior, we are given a peace that can
carry us through the most difficult of times. Doesn’t mean there will never be
heartache, pain, confusion, or stress. It just means that when we focus on Jesus
and what He has done for us, we will be able to draw on the strength His love
gives us to navigate our way through the storm that we may be facing. An
interesting aside is that Peace with God was the title of Billy Graham’s first
best-selling book.
Second, the Peace of God, comes to us when we totally surrender our lives to Him
and allow Him to be the guide in everything we do.
Philippians 4:6-8 tell us: “ (6) Be anxious for nothing, but
in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests
be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (8)
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are
of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy –
meditate on these things.”
Paul’s advice to us is to turn our worries into prayers. When you find yourself worrying about anything, stop and pray. God’s peace is different from the world’s peace. It’s not found in positive thinking, or the absence of conflict, or in good feelings. Real peace comes from knowing that because God is in control, our citizenship in Christ’s kingdom is sure, our destiny is set and our victory over sin is certain Also, we must be mindful of what we expose ourselves to and let occupy our minds will determine our words and action. Always working to replace harmful input with wholesome material while continuing to study our Bibles and keeping an active prayer life.
The third peace dimension, World peace, will not be fully realized here on earth
until Christ returns to establish His kingdom. We read in Isaiah 9:6-7: “(6)
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will
be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This glorious promise pertains not
only to the first advent, but to the second advent as well. The pronoun “us”
refers to Israel from Abraham through to the Messiah Jesus. The government upon
His shoulder is the coming Kingdom Age when Christ will rule and reign over the
entirety of earth. Then verse seven says: “(7) Of the increase of His
government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His
kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgement and justice from that time
forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.”
This verse continues the promise above but lets us know that it will take time upon Christ’s return for the Kingdom to increase to fill the entire world. Revelation chapters 19-20 explain this in greater detail. And it will become a time when the entire world finally knows REAL peace.
But the good part is that until we get to that time, we aren’t left to ourselves
to find peace. We have the perfect source of peace right now: God and Jesus
Christ our Savior. Recall what we just read from Isaiah which is backed up by
David in Psalm 29:11: “The Lord will give strength unto His people; the
Lord will bless His people with peace.” God gives His own strength and peace to
all who will believe and trust Him! And Paul tells us in
Romans 15:33 that our God IS the God of Peace.
Perfect peace in our lives is a picture of what is to come. It comes by focusing
on the Lord which will allow us to deal with the storms we face but won’t allow
those storms to rob us of the peace God gives us. Our faith in Christ enables us
to overcome the stresses because it enables us to drive away the fear we feel,
thereby letting our faith give us the victory, which is our salvation. Isaiah is
an excellent guide for us. He looked forward to a better time by focusing on
future blessings rather than present trials. He envisioned people singing of
salvation rather than their sorrows. He foresaw a great revival and he refused
to be overcome by problems of his time. The theme of his prophecy is best be
described as “the best is yet to come.”
Charles Spurgeon was an 1800’s English Baptist preacher who was highly
influential among Christians of various denominations and was known as the
Prince of Preachers. His writings are very informative even today. I have read a
few of his books and highly recommend him. He asked two questions which we
should all ask ourselves when we’re facing trials that threaten to overtake us:
(1) Why are we weak when we have divine strength available? and (2)
Why are we troubled when he Lord’s own peace is ours?
Is this always easy to do? No.
But as we grow and
mature in our faith, we will find that when storms and trials hit, instead of
reacting with fear and panic, we will instead react by reaching out to God and
trusting that Jesus will carry us through.
Sunday February 6th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
WHAT IF JOHN 3:16 WERE NOT TRUE?
Text: John 3:16
Good morning. This morning I’d like to talk with you about one verse in the
Bible: John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave his only
begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.”
We all know this verse. It’s probably the first verse we all memorized as
children. And no doubt, it’s the most familiar verse in the entire Bible. Martin
Luther called it the little Bible because it sums up the entire Bible in a few
short words. And it’s often quoted to people as they are facing death.
Let’s look at the setting in which the verse was given. A Pharisee named
Nicodemus, came to Jesus in the dark of night to talk with Jesus. Nicodemus was
also a member of the Sanhedrin, which was the ruling body of Israel. Despite
opposition of Jesus from the other Pharisees and Sanhedrin, Nicodemus saw
something in Jesus that made him want to know more about this Man who was
preaching to thousands. Jesus took the opportunity during this visit with
Nicodemus to explain God’s plan of salvation for a fallen world. Jesus gave
Nicodemus the most famous verse in the entire Bible – John 3:16. But
where would we be if this great, familiar verse weren’t true?
The verse starts with “For God so loved the world…” If God had not loved the
world the earth would still be a dark planet hurtling through space without any
hope. Without His love, there would be no hope at all. We would have nothing to
live for and no purpose to our existence. Every death would be the end of
personal hope and every grave a place of despair. We would live in a world where
our prayers would be nothing but useless cries to the skies.
But God does love the world! How do I know? Well look around. Everything we see
speaks of His love. The sun rises every day, and the moon shines every night
according to His plan. The seasons change on schedule every single year – with
each one providing us with its own special beauty that man is incapable of
creating.
Look at the face of a child. The innocence and joy that life hasn’t yet taken
away. There is nothing that compares to the laughter of a child! Every child is
created in His own image. But the greatest demonstration of His love is the
cross.
Next the verse says “…that He gave his only begotten son…” What if God had not
given us His Son? For sure His love would be frustrated without the cross
because of our sin. You see, our sin is what separates us from a loving and just
God. He had to find a way to take away that sin and He did so by giving us His
Son. What parent in this world would be willing to do the same?
Real love always demands giving. Love without giving is selfish and isn’t real
love. Couples marry then work to give of themselves for the relationship.
Parents give themselves to their children to raise them with values and morals.
They anticipate their death, so they buy insurance. This giving is not only
applicable in marriages but also in relationships and friendships that are most
important to us all. We must give of ourselves when listening to cares and
concerns of our friends. And sometimes we give of our labor when helping friends
with tasks they can’t do alone.
Our God has given us His Son to redeem us of our sins, and apart from this,
there would be no salvation for this sinful world.
And then we read “…that whosoever…” What if God’s offer of salvation were not to
the “whosoevers”? Let’s look at that word. It’s a word that is general in
nature, yet it is also particular. In general, it embraces everyone. But it’s
particular because it touches each one individually. It reaches out to everyone
personally.
Suppose God had offered salvation only to the rich, the healthy and the
educated? Imagine how many people would be shut off to eternal salvation. But
God didn’t do that. He calls all people everywhere, individually to trust Him.
God doesn’t care about your skin color, social standing, how much money you
make, what college you attended or didn’t attend, what town you live in or how
big your house is.
The next part of the verse says “…believeth in Him…” God calls each and every
one of us individually to trust in Him. Just because Christian parents may have
raised you, doesn’t automatically grant you salvation. And just because you came
from a family that didn’t now God at all doesn’t cut you off from salvation. We
must individually accept Him and believe in the Christ who died for us. He wants
us to have faith that He means what He tells us through His word. Faith is the
key that unlocks salvation’s door.
What if God’s offer were not based on faith alone? We would be lost because
there isn’t a job we could do, couldn’t work to earn enough money, and no amount
of learning could ever redeem us from our sins and make us worthy to stand in
the presence of the all-powerful just and loving God that created us and the
universe in which we live.
Finally, the verse ends with “…shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
Remember the dying thief alongside Jesus on the cross. What did he get for
having faith in Christ? Eternal life. We see this in
Luke 23: “And Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto you, today shall
you be with Me in Paradise.” This wasn’t a question; it was a statement of fact
by the Savior Himself. And this shows us that we all can be saved by faith in
Jesus Christ because He alone gave up His perfect and sinless life to redeem all
who will trust in Him. His sacrifice alone is what became our substitute to
satisfy a sin debt so we could be Him and love Him as much as He loves us. In
return for that faith and trust, we get to be His children for eternity. And as
His children, we are heirs to all He owns. We have a future to look forward to
that unbelievers can’t imagine. Truth be told, even we can’t fully comprehend
what we have in store for us. Our human minds simply can’t fathom what is ahead.
So you see, we can rest easy because John 3:16 is true! It tells us that all who
have faith and believe are saved by Christ. This is the message that we must
take to the world. We need to tell them what Jesus did for us and what we have
to look forward to when we pass from this life. Everyone is going to die. What
remains to be seen is where everyone is going to end up. Are we going to trust
in God and accept that Jesus redeemed us on Calvary, or are we going to be
banished to Hell with Satan and his followers? It’s every individual’s choice.
Sunday January 23rd, 2022 |
Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2022
The Call To Worship God
In Spirit And Truth
Summary: An insightful look and the reason for Worship and its Benefits to the
Believer
“Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this
mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do
not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour
is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in
spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is
spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John
4:21-24 ESV)
Definition: The word ‘WORSHIP’ is used as both a noun and a verb in the New
Testament. The Worship of God is not defined anywhere in Scripture. It has been
said the praise is thanking God for what He has done and worship is thanking Him
for who He is.
1. As a Verb, it means "to make sincere respect, homage, worship, adoration,
reverence, awe, devotion, humbly, serve, honor, submission."
2. As a Noun, it denotes "an object of devotion worship" "to will-worship"
(Vine's)
3. In the Old Testament when the word is used towards God it means "to worship,
prostrate oneself, bow down."
I. Jesus is the Proper Object of Our Worship.
A. When Jesus accepted worship He was admitting and declaring Himself to be the
Creator of all things; He is
totally worthy of all worship. (Matt 2:11,14:33, 28:9-10,16-17; Luke 24:51; John
9:37-38; Heb 1:6; Rev 22:3)
B. Even the angels are instructed to worship Jesus (see Heb 1:6). In Heaven the
Elders and the living
creatures worship Jesus (see Rev 4:9 11).
C. The Bible declares that everyone shall worship Him (see Rev 15:4 and Phil
2:10 22).
II. Expressions of Worship
Most of our expressions of worship are either directed to Jesus or in His name.
A. Worship is the "key" to God's presence and the "secret" to true joy and
happiness.
(Luke 4:8; John 4:23)
B. Worship is the single most important thing a Christian can learn to do.
(Psalm 100:4-5)
C. Worship is expressing our love to God for who He is, what He’s said, and what
He’s doing. (Rom 12:1-2)
D. Worship is our response to the revelation of God’s love for us (John 4:24)
E. We can only worship the Lord to the degree that we love and are surrendered
to Him. (Heb 12:28)
F. True worship comes out from walking daily in humility.
(Matt 6:34; 1 Peter 5:7; Phil 2:4, 4:6)
G. The goal of worship is the enjoyment of God. (Gen 9:13)
III. Divine Invitation
A call to worship is an invitation, a summons, for the church to turn their
attention toward God.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the
door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20)
“Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people!” (Ps 3:8)
A. We Can Draw Near in Confident Boldness Before the Throne of God
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a
high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in
every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with
confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find
grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:14–16)
The blood of Jesus bought the right to “come boldly to the throne of grace” so
that Christians “may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” The
word “come” means to approach and draw near in an attitude of worship. The word
“boldly” means to be out-spoken, frank, and blunt, with confidence and
assurance. Christians are now welcome to “draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith” and enter into the intimacy of His inner chamber “through
the veil, that is, His flesh” (Heb 10:19-22 NKJV).
B. We Must Come Before God in Humility
“But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I
will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. Lead me, O Lord, in
your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.” (Ps
5:7–8)
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”
(Ps 95:6)
C. We Must Come with a Heart full of Thanksgiving
“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your
wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your
name, O Most High” (Ps 9:1–2)
“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the
nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure
offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.”
(Malachi 1:11)
B. We Are to Have a Heart full of Joy!
“Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him
glorious praise!
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your
enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to
you; they sing praises to your name.” (Ps 66:1–4)
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who
made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter
his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him;
bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and
his faithfulness to all generations.” (Ps 100)
**Praise and worship is a powerful part of our walk with God, and is appropriate
for every day and every hour! (1 Ch 23:30; Ps 59:16, 92:2)
IV. The Attitudes of Worship
Worship is always a NOW act flowing from a genuine and vital relationship with
Jesus. It is our expression of extravagant love towards Love Himself.
God must be worshipped in the beauty of holiness because He is Holy.
(1 Ex 15:11; Chron 16:29; 1 Sam 2:2; Ps 29:2,96:9; 1 Thess 4:3,7-8)
A. True Worship is both Expressed and Released
“…and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with
her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and
anointed them with the ointment.” (Luke 7:38 ESV)
1. Brokenness (Ps 51:17; Jer 23:29; Mark 12:30)
2. Humility (Isa 57:15; 1 Peter 5:5)
3. Love (Deut 6:5, 10:12; Matt 22:37; 1 Jn 4:16)
4. Giving (Ex 23:15, 34:20)
B. True Worship will Flow out of Proper Attitudes.
The key to maintaining the attitude of worship is: “And you shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and
with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)
V. Ten Benefits of Praise and Worship
1. It Invites the Presence of God (2 Chron 5:11-14; Ps 139:7)
2. It Draws People To God (John 12:32)
3. It Helps Us Find Rest and Satisfaction for Our Soul (Ps 63:1-5; Matt
11:28–29)
4. It Helps Lift Us above Our Problems (2 Chron 20:15-20; Ps 27:4)
5. It Brings Us Deliverance from Our Enemies and Drives Away Depression (Ps
18:3, Isa 61:3)
6. It Helps Us to Receive the Promises Of God (Isa 11:10, 49:6)
7. It Brings Liberty (Acts 16:25-26)
8. It Brings Joy (Ps 16:11, 100:4)
9. It Helps to Strengthen Our Faith (Rom 4:20)
10. It Helps to Bring Us Closer to God (James 4:8)
VI. Begin the Journey!
Extravagant worship is the first step that will begin the journey to having an
intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe! We are going to spend
eternity worshipping God - just as the Angels!
“And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and
the four living beings. And they fell face down before the throne and worshipped
God. They said, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor
and power and strength belong to our God forever and forever. Amen!" (Rev 7:9-12
NLT)
God is a relentless pursuer and lover who desires to ravish His people with His
love. We must become relentless in our pursuit of His passion and presence. He
is looking for radical worshippers. A person can only worship in the degree of
their revelation. Worship takes us deeper into the revelation of who God is. The
deeper we move into worship, the greater degree of the revelation of His glory
and the more we will enjoy Him. As a result, we will become a greater reflection
of His beauty in a world that is lost in a darkness that is only getting darker.
Worship truly is a way of life. Not just worshipping but being a worshiper by
living a life that is pleasing to Him, no matter where we are or what we are
doing. The secret to greater intimacy with Jesus is learning to focus on Him -
breath by breath - and what He has done for each of us - not on what we can do
for Him!
Every Christian can become lost in the ecstasy of intimate embrace! They can
press into Jesus and let Him hold them so close that He takes their breath away.
Every individual Christian takes His breath away every moment of every day. The
Cross proves He loves so much it hurts. God isn’t mad anymore. He is madly in
love!
It is time to come to that place in worship where we begin to enjoy Him (because
He enjoys them!) and are totally overwhelmed with His presence - His beauty -
His majestic splendor – His infinite love. He desires to love us so intimately
that the waves of passion from His flaming heart will make a casual observer
blush.
A. Become Dry Wood
Our churches must become places of extravagant worship and teaching - places of
training and mentoring in order to empower and send out a bunch of
revolutionaries to take every city for the Kingdom. Shepherds must teach what it
means to be truly loved by God, not just as His servant but as His Bride.
Christians need to ask God to make them dry wood so that His fire may burn
brightly and consume them and every life they touch.
It is time to cry out for God to move with each breath, not just when He speaks!
We must break the chains that hold us back from knowing Him more so that we can
be released into the anointing that breaks every yoke! If we are ready and
willing, then we must pray the Gethsemane prayer; “.. not MY will but YOURS be
done..” (Luke 22:42 NIV)
If we want to be just like Jesus and flow freely in the anointing and power of
the Resurrection to proclaim His liberty to the lost, heal the sick, and mend
the broken hearted (See Luke 4:18-19) – then we must also be willing to share in
the fellowship of His suffering. (See Phil 3:10) Dying to self is no easy task,
and it will take a lifetime!
VII. The Best is Yet to Come
Never, ever, forget the beautiful God wants only the best for you! He has
already laid out His plan:
“For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good
and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray,
I will listen. You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in
earnest.” (Jer 29:11-13 LB)
“When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray
to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that
from His glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength
through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in
your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of
God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's
people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never
fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power
that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us,
He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
May He be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through
endless ages. Amen” (Eph 3:14-21 NLT).
No matter what has - or will - happen in your life - no matter what you have
done or anything you will ever do - can stop Him from being head over heels and
madly in love with you for He takes great “delight in you as a bridegroom
rejoices over his bride
” (Isa 62:4-5). The inheritance of God - the Dowry of the Bridegroom King - has
been guaranteed (See Eph 1:11-14).
Jesus longs for you to go deep into the Inner Chamber so that He can consume you
with His love. Experiencing a deeper relationship with the Creator of the
Universe is possible! If you are ready for more - and desire to journey deep
into the Beauty Realm and loving arms of the Savior - then it is time to make
Him your ENTIRE life - not just a “part” of it. It is time to fall more madly in
love with the beautiful God.
The Bridal Chamber of
deep intimacy – the secret place of God - is hidden within the wilderness.
Coming to the end of self is when it is found.
It is no longer the time to weep tears of sorrow. You have been forgiven! His
shed blood has paid the price for your redemption! It is time to weep tears of
joy! It is time for dancing in the streets! It is time to jump and shout in
celebration for the Bridegroom is coming!
Blow the trumpets in Zion!
Sound the alarm! Make way for the beautiful God because the day of His appearing
is near! Amen!
Sunday January 16th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
CHRIST AFTER COMMUNION
Last week I talked to you about Christ and Communion. This week I’d like to
share with you Christ after Communion. Our text comes from
Matthew 26:30-42 which says:
“ (30)And when they had sung a hymn, they went out. (31)Then said Jesus unto them, all you shall be offended because of Me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad (this comes from Zech 13:7). (32)But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. (33)Peter answered and said unto Him, though all men shall be offended because of you, yet will I never be offended. (34)Jesus said unto him, ‘Verily I say unto you, that this night before the rooster crows, you shall deny Me thrice.’ (35) Peter said unto Him, though I should die with You, yet will I not deny You. Likewise, also said all the disciples. (36)Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and said unto the disciples, ‘Sit you here while I go and pray yonder.’ (37)And He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (James and John) and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. (38)Then said He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here, and watch with Me. (39) And he went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed saying, ‘O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will but as You will’. (40) And He came unto the disciples, and finding them asleep, and said unto Peter, ‘What, could you not watch with Me one hour? (41) Keep watch and pray, so that you may not give into temptation. For the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ (42) He went away again the second time, and prayed saying, ‘O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Your will be done.’”
Two thousand years later Christians everywhere continue to break bread and share
the cup that began with Jesus and His disciples around a table. What we know
today that the disciples didn’t fully understand what the first Communion was --
a preview of the cross. But for us it is a memorial to the salvation work of our
Savior Jesus Christ. It gives us the opportunity the remember His death and to
anticipate His return to earth to set up His Kingdom. We also see three pictures
of Jesus in this first Communion.
First in verse thirty we see a picture of the Singing Savior. They sang a hymn
and went out. What kind of hymn did they sing? Jesus had given thanks for the
bread and the cup so it’s likely they sang hymns from
Psalms 115 -- which is praise to God Who is our help and shield; and
Psalm 118, a psalm of thanksgiving for the Lord’s salvation.
That Jesus was thankful during Communion is a mystery of grace. He was thankful
for being able to go to the Cross. He was thankful for the spit, the spite, and
the spikes He had to endure. He was thankful for being the source of salvation
that is available to all of us by enduring the cross. And that’s why every
communion service must give us a song of praise to Jesus for paying for our sins
with His blood.
Revelation 5:9 says, “And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the Book, and to open the Seals thereof; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your Blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation.”
This tells us that even all of Heaven sang -- and continues to sing of the salvation sacrifice of Jesus!
In verses 36-38 of our text, we see a picture of a sorrowing Jesus after
the Communion service. As they left the house and entered the garden, we see how
Jesus began to realize what He was about to take on. He recognized the pain,
shame, and suffering ahead and prayed to the Father to take it away if it was
possible. Nevertheless, He knew He had to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy in
chapter 53 and become the suffering servant.
There will be people who will leave churches all over this country today and
will face sorrows that they never expected would come nor would ever be able to
handle. But every one of us can take comfort in the fact that when we must deal
with unspeakable sorrow during our life, we have a sorrowing Savior that
understands and cares. Charles Spurgeon, often referred to as the Prince of
Preachers, was an English Baptist preacher who lived in the late 1800s and is
still highly influential today among Christians, once wrote “God is with us in
Sorrows. There is no pang that ends the heart. I might almost say, not one which
disturbs the body, but what Jesus Christ has been with you in it all.”
Finally, we see the picture of the Submissive Savior in verse forty-two of our
text. Even though Jesus had asked that the cup be taken away, He said, “…if this
cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Your will be done.” As it was
most certainly for Jesus, it is for us today that the four most difficult words
to pray are Thy Will Be Done. For Jesus it meant submission to the pain and
cruelty of the cross. These words express the submissive heart in every prayer
we pray. Each of us should ask ourselves how long has it been since our prayers
contained these words? We spend a lot of prayer asking for God to do this and do
that, but do we always let Him know that we will submit to His will and let His
will be done? When we don’t get answers to prayers perhaps this is the reason
why. How long has it been since we truly and completely submitted ourselves to
God’s will?
Our challenge today is to be like Jesus after communion with a song in our
hearts because of His love for us. And we should be ever mindful of the picture
of Christ that is developing in us for others to see.
Pastor Don often said that we may be the only Bible people we meet ever see.
Does the picture we present show the love and kindness of Jesus?
Sunday January 9th, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2022
Christ and Communion
Matthew 26:26-29
Our sermon this morning is about Christ and Communion and comes from
Matthew 26:26-29
which say's:
“(26) And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and broke it,
and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘take, eat; this is My body.’
(27) And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink ye all of it
(28) for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
(29) But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom’.”
There is no question the disciples didn’t fully understand the meaning of what
Jesus was telling them so let’s look closer at how Jesus was preparing them for
what was to happen.
The world was approaching the Hour of the Ages which Jesus referenced in Matthew
26:18 with His response to the disciples’ question on where they would celebrate
the Passover meal.
“And He said, Go into the city
(They were to go into Jerusalem as they were currently in Bethany) to such a man
(who the man was is not known; some think he was the father of John Mark, who
wrote the Gospel of Mark), and say unto him, The Master says, My time is a hand
(this is the statement that carries with it the meaning of the ages); I will
keep the Passover at your home with my disciples (What an honor for that family
and that house!).” When He said, “My time is at hand” He was of course referring
back to what he told his disciples in verse 2 of chapter 26: “You know
that after two days is the Feast of the Passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed
to be Crucified (The Holy Spirit had revealed to Jesus that Judas would betray
Him).”
This Passover was the last one He would share with His disciples. It was also
the last Passover ever, because the shedding of the blood to spare mankind from
the darkness of death was ultimately and finally fulfilled at the cross. And
they also shared the very first Communion service which gives us the covenant --
meaning promise -- of eternal life through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at the communion service, also referred to the Lord’s Supper. First,
we are to remember the body of Christ. Verse 26 of Matthew shows us that Jesus
told His disciples to take, eat; this is My body. This is a symbol of that which
He would do and become; He was the “bread” and consequently, “blessed.”
Likewise, His body was “broken at Calvary; and He gives the results of this
action at Calvary to all who will believe in Him.
Now the disciples were most assuredly confused about this because they could see
His body and they could see that He was in His body. Because we have the benefit
of hindsight and the Word of God to study, Luke 22:19 clears this up for us when
he writes: “And He took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto
them, saying, This is My body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of
Me.” His body was prepared by God in order that it be a perfect sacrifice. We
are to remember His death on the cross at Calvary because that is what bought
our redemption. We celebrate this every time we celebrate Communion. Yes,
celebrating a death -- especially such a horrific one – is a human
contradiction. But is a celebration because it bought our freedom from eternal
damnation.
What should we remember about His body at Communion?
Philippians 2:5-8 say: “(5) Let this mind be in you, which was also
in Christ Jesus: (6) Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God; (7) but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; (8) and being found in
fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the Cross.” In other words, Paul is telling us that Jesus is our
supreme example in that He gave up His deity and all that Heaven afforded Him --
including his co-participation with the other members of the Trinity in the
expression of the Divine Essence. Instead of asserting His rights to the
expression of the Essence of Deity, our Lord waived His right to it, and became
a servant in the body of a human. But just because He did that, He didn’t
exclude His position of Deity in becoming a man, He laid aside the “expression”
of Deity -- He never lost “possession” of it. In the eyes of men, He was brought
low, but willingly became obedient to death. He was always the Master of Death
but here He subjected Himself to death. The character of His death was one of
disgrace and degradation, which was necessary for men to be redeemed, allowing
Him to pay the terrible sin debt and do so in totality. Christ endured the pain
of the Cross in His body for each one of us.
What should we remember about His blood at Communion? Again, the disciples were
confused because they knew His blood was in Him and not in the cup that He was
offering. Matthew 26:27-28 tell us that the
cup with the wine is a symbol of His shed blood at Calvary. His death at Calvary
settled forever the sin debt, and for all of humanity, or at least for all who
will believe--as is obvious, the Lord’s Supper ever directs the believer to the
Cross. We’re shown this throughout the New Testament.
Romans 5:9 shows us that Christ’s blood was shed to pay for our sins.
We see in 1 Peter 1:18-19, His blood redeemed us and
1 John 1:9 shows us that His blood cleanses us
from sin. And in Revelation 1:5, we are told
that Christ’s blood proves His love for us. By remembering His blood at
Communion our love for what He did for us is increased.
The communion service reminds us that there is a new life for everyone, and that
death is simply a transition from this life into the Kingdom of Christ. There
will come a time when we will see Jesus face-to-face and be with all those who
have gone before us. So you see, the Communion Service or the Lord’s Supper, not
only causes us to look back to the Cross, but it allows us the peace of mind to
look forward to the Kingdom of God and the promise that it brings. It’s also a
time for each one of us to search our heats and confess our sins and to
celebrate our wonderful future with Christ in His kingdom.
When we Remember the Cross, we become aware of our sins. It is incumbent on each
of us to respond to the love that makes our forgiveness possible. We must ask
ourselves if we’re doing that and making it known others in the life we live.
Our response will determine if we will be with Christ in His kingdom forever.
Sunday January 2nd, 2022 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2022
Title: How to
“Practice” Your Faith
Text: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”
(James 1:22).
Part of this mornings message is taken from
Scripture Reading: James 1:22-27 and Hebrews 11:1
which speaks of faith.
James 1:22-27
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearer's only,
deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,
he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass (a mirror)
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what
manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh
into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein,
he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work, this man shall be blessed
in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but
deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the
fatherless and widows
in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
There is no doubt that James, in addition to writing this epistle under "devine
inspiration"
was also drawing on a rich background of experience. James was a pastor, and he
had had opportunity
to observe firsthand the different ways in which Christians practiced their
faith. He had seen some of the people
develop disappointing and even dangerous habits in regard to their “profession”
and their “practice.”
In our text, James made a proposition, provided an illustration, and drew an
application about how to practically apply one’s faith.
James made a proposition (1:22). In the previous passage, specifically in verse
19,
James told us to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
He was talking about hearing the Word of truth.
But now he is calling our attention to a great danger of which we must be aware
in this “swift hearing.”
We are not to make the hearing of the Word an end in itself.
James was talking about Christians who love to hear the Word but never get
around to putting it into practice.
Christians fall into two categories in regard to this issue. Some Christians
faithfully listen to the Word and even feel a “spiritual high”
because of what they hear, but they never apply the truth of God’s Word to their
lives.
Other Christian. distressingly small percentage of the whole receive the
Word with joy
and allow it to be disseminated into their life and behavior. The verb tense in
James’s exhortation is significant.
He said, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
The tense is present imperative,
which suggests continuity "Continuous"
Literally, it means “keep on being doers of the word.”
1 Peter 1:25
"The Word of The Lord endures forever."
This Word is distinct from creation, and has a voice that is other than our own.
Everything else on earth and in heaven will pass away, but The Word of The Lord
will always stand.
No one becomes an accomplished “doer of the word” in one action.
A process of development and growth is involved.
Many Christians are like posts instead of trees. If we plant a tree, it begins
to grow;
if we set a post, it begins to decay. “Doers of the word” naturally take on the
characteristics of their Lord.
One day an elderly Christian woman was getting on an elevator in a large
department store.
The elevator was dimly lighted, and to make conversation, she said to the
elevator operator,
“You don’t get much sunshine in here, do you?”
The operator replied,
“Only what folks like you bring in, ma’am.”
Thus “doers of the word” are those who take the truth of God and, in the power
of the Holy Spirit,
translate it into everyday, practical illustrations of what God CAN and WILL do
in one’s life.
James provided an illustration (1:23–25).
The illustration is that of a man looking at himself "glancing" in a mirror and
walking away,
immediately forgetting what he looks like. Christians who merely “hear” the Word
of God do something similar to this.
They hear the Word but soon forget it, and it has no influence on them.
James implied that the Word of God is like a spiritual mirror to a person’s
soul.
When Christians look into the mirror of the Word, they see the correct and
complete delineation of their souls.
They see the areas that need to be altered or cleansed. The mirror of the Word
has a dimension that is not found in an ordinary mirror.
God’s Word not only shows us where we are;
it shows what we can become (v. 25).
There is an interesting play on words here. The word in
verse 24 translated “beholdeth” suggests only a
passing glance,
without any serious intention to profit from what he sees. But the word
translated “looketh into” in verse 25 has the sense
of looking carefully, closely, seriously. The same word is used in John 20:5
to describe John as he stooped down to look into the empty tomb. The word
suggests a searching inspection of something.
Why did James call this “mirror of the Word”
the “perfect law of liberty”?
He called it the “law” because it is the standard by which the Christian life is
regulated and directed.
And by “liberty,” James meant that it is a law that gives spiritual freedom to
those who bring themselves under its authority.
James drew an application (1:26–27).
He gave three examples of the practice of the Word.
First, he mentioned “the bridling of the tongue”
(v. 26). James was talking about carelessness in conversation.
To bridle is to restrain,
to discipline, to curb. The imagery he used indicates that the tongue is like an
unruly horse that needs a bit and bridle to check its wild tendencies.
In verse 27 James gave two more examples of practicing one’s faith: having
compassion for the needy and living an unstained life.
He did not give an all-inclusive definition of religion here. Rather, he was
simply saying that the “externals” of worship are unacceptable to God
unless they are accompanied by loving service and a holy life. Jesus said that
we are to be in the world but not of the world.
The proper place for a ship to be is in the water, but if the water gets into
the ship, it sinks.
The proper place for Christians to be is in the world, but if the world gets
into Christians,they sink to the depths of unhappiness and sin.
It is only as believers practice their faith that they are set in
contra-distinction to the world and its standards.
“What is faith?"
Hebrews 11:1
It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to
happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot see.
(NLT) vs. 6 …
without faith it is impossible to please God.”
God wants us to possess faith.
We need to build our faith and strengthen it through practice.
A lot of us say I’ve got faith.
I’ve got faith in this.
I’ve got faith in that.
I’ve got faith in Jesus.
Well where is the practice of it?
We’ve been granted a measure of faith and when a circumstance or situation
arises or a storm is on your horizon what do we do?
We practice that faith, and if we don’t practice that faith we won’t be able to
stand on that firm foundation because our faith will be weak.
We’ve got to practice it.
We need to build our faith and strengthen it through practicing our faith and by
getting in a place where faith is preached, where faith is.
How do we use (practice) our faith?
Do we use it like a spare tire- used only in case of emergency!
Do we use your faith like a wheel barrow- must be PUSHED!
Or
Do we use it like a greyhound bus- Ridden only when it goes your way!
Or perhaps we use our faith like BRYL- CREAM- a little dab will do you!
Whatever, kind of faith we have, it is of no VALUE unless we are using it to
PLEASE God.
Because, Faith without works is DEAD!
James 2:26 (KJV)
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without works is dead also.
Luke 6:46 the Lord speaks saying, why call me, Lord, Lord, and Do not the things
I say?
You have to practice your faith.
A doctor practices medicine, an attorney practices law, a Christian must
practice faith.
The word practice means: to live out, to perform, to apply and rehearse and to
act upon.
Those are all action words. My favorite is to live out.
So, how do we use our faith; practice it; live out our faith?
We must use or practice our faith as:
1. A WORSHIPPING FAITH Heb. 11:4 (Gen.4)
vs. 4 “it was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God…
God accepted Abel’s
offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead, he
still speaks to us because of his FAITH.”
It wasn’t enough for Abel to say he believed in God. He heard the voice of God
and he used the faith that he had in God.
He practiced his faith. He put into action what he believed.
James 2:14-17
King James Version
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have
not works?
can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say
unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,
God challenges us and encourages us to start living out your faith today by
walking day by day in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As much as we tell people we are Christian let them see it
MORE & MORE.
We must prepare our Hearts, Mind and Soul for The Lords second coming for His
Bride
"The Church"
...............................
Matthew: 14:22-33
22 Immediately Jesus made the diciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to
the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.
Later that night, he was there alone,
24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the
waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a
ghost, they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus Immediately said to them" "Take courage! It is I, Be Not Afraid.
28 "Lord if it is you, Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "COME" He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the wather and
came to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink,Cried OUT!
"Lord, Save Me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. "You of little faith,"
He said, "Why did You doubt?"
32 and when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
33 Then those who were in the boat Worshiped Him
Saying, "Truly You, are The Son of God."
We read the Word of God.. But are we really reaching out to grab hold of God's
hand?
Applying God's Word means allowing God to move in.
A trial comes along, and along with it comes the winds waves of
despair,
doubt,
fear,
uncertainty..
All traits which are NOT of God
but of the evil one
Matthew: 14:22-33
Is saying, take My Hand. Don't look AWAY,
He informs us perfectly here, that He NEVER Leaves Us and is right there when we
call upon His Name.
Trust God, even when He is silent.
Even in the midst of tragic circumstances, God is present, even when it is hard
to see or perceive him.
Palm 46 says:
God is our refuge and strength, a "very present help" in trouble.
Let's Get OUR HEARTS, MINDS AND SOULS be Receptive, Quick and Willing to Receive
His Abundant Blessing.
Sunday December 26th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
Title: Light and Wisdom from the Wise Men
Pastor Don’s sermon this morning is entitled Light and Wisdom from the Wise
Men. Our Scripture Reading is Matthew 2:1–10,
which says: “(1) Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the
days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, (2)
saying, “Where is He who was has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen
His star in the Est and have come to worship Him.” (3) When Herod the
king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (4) When he
had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he
inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. (5) So, they said to
him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: (6)
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rules of
Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’
(7) Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from
them what time the star appeared. (8) And he sent them to Bethlehem and
said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him,
bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” (9) When
they heard the king, they departed; and behold the star which they had seen in
the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child
was. (10) When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great
joy.
Surely there was a scurry in heaven as Jesus prepared to leave for His mission
on Earth. A commotion was caused by the fact that the Christ was leaving heaven
for His humiliation. Peter said in his first epistle that the time of the coming
of Christ was a time unknown to any of the angels in heaven. Only God knew the
appointed time. When the time came, even the angels of heaven participated in
the things that God was now doing. God sent an angel to speak to Zechariah,
Mary, and Joseph, and also to announce Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. He even
sent an angelic choir to the shepherds.
During this great commotion of heaven, God decided to speak to some Gentile men.
We do not know much about these men, but many fables and myths have arisen about
them. The Eastern church in the fourth century gave names to them and declared
that there were three of them. The Bible does not tell us who they were.
Doubtless they were students of the stars and probably some of the wisest men of
their time. The Bible says they saw a star in the East, which they knew to be
the star of Christ. Upon seeing that star, they became excited and made the
journey to Jerusalem so they might inquire about the birth of the Messiah.
If we don’t get lost in the fables and myths, and if we stay with God’s truth,
we have a marvelous revelation. Some theologians tell us that when Paul went on
his first missionary journey, or when Peter went to share the gospel with
Cornelius, the first Gentiles were converted to Christianity. Actually, this is
untrue. The first Gentiles to be converted were these wise men who came when
Christ was born. They fell down before Him and worshiped Him.
There are two lessons for us to learn this morning. Let us gather light from the
star and wisdom from the wise men.
The light of the star.
The star was an unusual creation. It may have been a comet, as many have
claimed. It may have been a special creation. Whatever it was, it revealed to
the magi that the Jewish Messiah was born. God had told Israel to be ready for
the coming of the Messiah. They were ready neither to receive him nor to share
his message, so God revealed the coming of the Messiah through creation.
God never fails. If people do not do His will, He uses others.
The star was a leading light that led to Christ. It told the wise men that the
Christ had been born. Then they went to Jerusalem. They traveled through arid
desert country. No doubt it was a difficult trip, but they would not be stopped.
They inquired as to the place of the Messiah’s birth. Ultimately. they were
taken to the scribes and told that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem. As
they proceeded toward Bethlehem, the star appeared, leading the way to the
Christ. We should be like that star, leading people to Christ and always showing
the way to Him.
The star attracted their attention. The Word of God taught them the exact
details. The light led them to the Christ and stopped there. The light of every
Christian needs to lead others to Christ. Don’t lead people to church buildings
or programs and leave them there. Lead them to Christ.
The star became a witness. It told those wise men that the Messiah was born.
Then it led them to the Messiah. That is the kind of light the church must have
in the world today.
The wisdom of the wise men.
Perhaps these men were teachers of science in Persia. They were not called
kings; they were called magi, which means “wise ones.” God gives us messages in
nature. Many scientists conclude that perhaps the Christian message is not true
because we have made so many myths about God rather than listening to God as He
has spoken. God spoke loudly through nature to those ancient scientists. People
may see God’s handiwork in a tree or in the human body. Who could study either
without recognizing that a divine Designer made them?
God gives us messages in His Word. Paul said that God reveals Himself in nature.
He reveals himself in a general way in nature, but for details we must turn to
God’s Word. That is exactly what these wise men did. Let us be just as wise.
When we look at the beauty of the sky, of the ocean, or of human life, let us
recognize God’s handiwork. Then let us turn to His Word and believe the exact
details that God reveals to us about himself.
The wise men persisted. When they saw the Messiah’s star, they wanted to know
Him, so they traveled across the desert. They went through wild, rugged country
filled not only with physical hardship but also with bands of robbers. They
journeyed not on a jet airplane but on camels or by walking. They persisted in
their search. They were not discouraged when they arrived at Jerusalem and found
uninterested people. Many today are discouraged by lesser things in their search
for Christ. The wise men did not become discouraged. In trying to learn about
the Messiah, they could have said, “We will see if we like the scribes. Where
did the scribes go to school? Are they friendly scribes? Are they good mixers?
Do they stand at the door and shake hands when you come in, or do they not?”
They did not say those things. They went eagerly to hear the message of God.
They were tenacious in their search.
The wise men rejoiced because they knew that God was leading. Oh, my friends, if
we could return to a rejoicing search for God! We come here to church like
zombies. We come here to the house of God acting as if we do not want to hear
God talk. Is God speaking to us out of His Word through His prophet? If He is,
then we ought to rejoice as we come into the presence of God. That is what the
wise men did. They rejoiced when they saw the star!
The wise men worshiped when they finally arrived at the house where Jesus was.
Now with all of their persistence, with all of the revelation they had, they
could have blown it right there. They came to the house where the young child
was, and what did they do? They did not call a committee meeting. They did not
send a telegram to their denominational headquarters to get permission. They
entered the house. They came to Jesus. They did not hesitate; they immediately
came to him and fell down before Him and worshiped Him. They had found the
revelation of God.
The wise men worshiped the baby Jesus. Theirs was not curiosity gratified but
devotion exercised. We also must worship the Savior, or we will never be saved
by Him. He has not come to put away our sins and then to leave us ungodly and
self-willed. Oh, you who have never worshiped the Christ of God, may you be led
to do so at once. He is God over all, blessed forever. Adore Him. Was God ever
seen in such a worshipful form before? Behold, He puts rainbows in the heavens,
He rides upon the wings of the wind. He scatters flames of fire. He speaks, and
His dreaded artillery shakes the hills. You worship in terror. Who would not
adore the great and terrible Jehovah of the Old Testament?
But is it not much better to behold Him here, allied to your nature, wrapped
like your own children in swaddling clothes—tender, feeble, next to kin to your
own self? Will you not worship God when He has thus come down to you and become
your Brother born for your salvation? Here nature itself suggests worship. And
oh, may grace produce it! Let us hasten to worship where shepherds and wise men
and angels have led the way!
Sunday December 19th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: The Time of Christmas
Text: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son,
made of a woman, made under the law” (Gal. 4:4).
Scripture Reading: Galatians 4:1–7
(1) Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child. deffereth nothing from a
servant,
though he be lord of all; (2) But is under tutors and governors until the time
appointed of the father. (3) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage
under the elements of the world. (4 ) But when the fullness of the time
has come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law. (5
) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of
sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying "Abba, Father" ( 7 ) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a
son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
As Paul reflected from a theological viewpoint on the birth of Christ, he said
that until Christ came
we were like children in a wealthy home. The child was the heir, but the child
did not receive his inheritance.
He was no different than a slave. He was under slave tutors who taught him.
He was obedient to his father just as a slave would be obedient to his father,
but he had a hope.
He had a promise.
The promise of those people of Old Testament times was the promise that the
Messiah would come;
so Paul, looking back on that event, which had just a short time before
transpired, said,
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son.” vs. 4
His Son (God's Son) changed our relationship.
He came “that we might receive the adoption of sons." vs.5
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ”
(Gal. 4:5–7).
Abba is translated as “Father,”
but it really means
“My Father”
The significance of the birth of Christ cannot be fully known until Christ lives
in your heart.
It is interesting that the evangelistic messages of the apostles recorded in
Acts do not mention the birth of Jesus.
Instead, they focus on his death and resurrection.
Years later, however, under the Spirit of God, the apostles recorded the whole
story of salvation. They wrote about the miraculous birth of Jesus. They
told of one born of a virgin, born beyond the comprehension of human
understanding.
They told of God stepping into humanity
to say to all people everywhere,
“I am your Christ.”
They told of an angel choir, a shining star,a lowly manger,
and shepherds who came to adore him, the humblest of all being the first to
praise the King of Kings.
They told of wise men from afar,
educated men, who had come to praise him.
Historical significance.
The religion of the Greeks was dead.
The religion of the Romans was already relegated to mythology.
The religion of the Persians,
though still in its ascendancy,
(Governing in control & Dominance )
had never satisfied the hearts of the people.
So, suddenly, when people were in despair, when people were searching for
reality, at that moment, God sent his Son.
Spiritual significance.
Paul was suggesting that Christ came in the flesh to be God with us.
Paul surely knew the story of the virgin birth. Doubtless he had heard of the
wise men. He knew that Joseph had been told that Jesus was to be “God with us.”
When he said that Jesus was born to redeem, he believed that Christ had entered
the world by God’s miracle
to deal with humankind’s spiritual need.
The greatest need humanity has
is forgiveness of sins.
The spirit of the time.
Not motifs but salvation. If Christmas is only a time for decoration and
festivity, its significance is lost.
Jesus came to be the Christ.
If he is the power of heaven living in your heart, if he is God alive in you,
then he is the Christ.
The Bible says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”
(Rom. 3:23).
“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God.
no one does good, not even one”
(Rom. 3:10–12 RSV).
That describes us naturally.
We are not good people; we are sinners.
We are not searchers for God; we retreat from him constantly.
We are hopeless, but Jesus came to bring hope.
Paul said of him, “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners,
Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
Because nothing else could pay the price of our guilt, the Son paid it.
Not of despair but love.
Often people speak of the spirit of Christmas as though it is something to be
caught while shopping.
I heard someone say, “I went shopping and I caught the Christmas spirit.”
I recently went shopping with my wife, and people were in such a rush they
shoved us and stepped on our feet.
We stood in line for hours waiting to pay for our purchases. Furthermore, we
spent more money than we meant to spend.
If that’s the Christmas spirit, I guess we’re in trouble.
I think what most people mean when they say they want to catch the spirit of
Christmas is that they want the warm feeling of love.
They want to feel love for others, that inside warmth that says, “I want to give
of myself to someone else.”
This is the kind of spirit that comes from God.
God’s gift for the time. God’s gift to us.
The real spirit of Christmas begins when we accept the best gift of all,
the gift who was born in a manger, the Son of God.
When we accept Jesus Christ, we accept the gift of salvation, the gift of
forgiveness.
But that is not all. We also receive the precious gift of the Holy Spirit, who
comes to live within us and guide our steps.
Our gift to God.
God wants us to give ourselves to him. How do we give ourselves in service
to God?
We must be willing to abandon self and let God use us in any way he chooses.
Our service to God may simply be done by showing that the Holy Spirit is alive
within us.
If Christ is born in our hearts, God is our Father and the Holy Spirit is alive
within us. Because of this, we will serve God by serving our brothers and
sisters. "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and
whosoever will be chief among you,
let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be served, but to
serve”
(Matt. 20:26–28).
If you really want the Spirit of Christ to live in you, and therefore the spirit
of Christmas,
you must be his servant; and you are his servant by giving yourself in service
to others.
Look again!
“But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son,
made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath
sent forth the Spirit
of his Son into your hearts”
(Gal. 4:4–6).
Where?
In your hearts, so that out of your hearts you cry,
“My Father,” because he lives within you.
If Christ is merely a nativity scene on your coffee table, he is dead.
If the star of Christmas is only an ornament atop your tree, it has nothing to
say.
But if Christ lives in your heart, he has everything to say, because from your
heart
the living Christ causes you to cry out,
“My Father!”
Sunday December 12th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
The Word Became Flesh
Today’s message from pastor Don comes from John 1:1-5 & 14 which
says:
“(1)In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God, and the word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (4) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. (14) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Then over to 1 John 1:1-3 which says: “(1) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life – (2) the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us – (3) that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellow ship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
Each of the Gospels speak in different ways about Jesus’ birth.
Matthew lists the genealogy of Joseph because he was interested in the legal and
the Jewish aspects of Jesus’ birth.
Luke, who apparently had many conversations with Mary and with others, told of
the visit of the angelic choir. He spoke of the manger and listed the genealogy
of Jesus on Mary’s side. Mark didn’t mention Jesus’ birth. But he does tell us
about Jesus’ miraculous deeds.
John wrote his gospel from an entirely different perspective than did the other
three. He was the youngest of the apostles. He wrote his gospel, his three
epistles, and The Revelation when he was an old man. He didn’t give a
chronological view of Jesus’ life, but he reflected on Jesus’ life in
relationship to what had happened to him. It is not appropriate to simply say
that John wrote philosophically about Jesus. He was more interested in Jesus
religiously than historically. John was saying, “Let me tell you what has
happened to me because I know Jesus.”
So, let’s look at the ways in which John see Jesus.
Jesus as the Word. When John called Jesus the Word, many believe he brought a
new dimension to Christian theology. They say that John tried to unite an
African philosophy and Christianity. It’s doubtful that John even knew what the
philosophers of Alexandria were saying. John wrote under inspiration, as though
he were saying to us: “I want to tell you about what I have experienced from
God; I want to tell you about the Word, the Logos of God, one whose name is
Jesus.” He said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God” (John 1:1).
Before Bethlehem. Before Bethlehem, the Word existed because God is the Word.
John believed that Jesus was the Son of God. In fact, there is no reason for
Christian theology if Jesus is not the Son of God.
The Word as authority. There must be a basis for Jesus’ authority. Why would
John call Jesus the Word? Because he thought of God as absolute authority. He
thought of God as the source of every existing thing. So, he said, “In the
beginning was the Word.” God has always existed. John said, “And the Word
was with God, and the Word was God.” He was calling Jesus the Word; and he
was saying, “Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God.” John had a Trinitarian
concept of God. He was saying, “There is one God; and while there is one God,
Jesus, the Word is with God. The Spirit is with God; and He is God.”
Jesus as the source. “The same was in the beginning with God. All things were
made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made”
(John 1:2–3). This God who is Christ, is the source of all things.
“All things were made by him.” Our environment was made by him. Our lives
were made by him. In fact, “without him was not anything made that was made.”
Nothing is possible in this life without God. Without Jesus, people can
create nothing. Without Jesus, people can accomplish nothing.
The source of life. Life comes from God, and thus all of life’s meaning comes
from God. Every activity of life comes from God. “Without him was not anything
made that was made.” We are totally dependent on Him. “In Him was life; and the
life was the light of men” (John 1:4). God did not come to the world as
theory. People have always tried to explain the source of life in some natural
way. People may explain life as coming from the sun, from fire, or from a
process of evolution. People may actually admit they don’t understand life, but
they do know there must be a source.
The source of light. Tradition says that John ministered in the city of Ephesus,
the ancient city built around the worship of Diana of the Ephesians. Diana is a
form of the ancient Greek god Aphrodite. The Ephesians believed that the very
unusual statue they had of Diana had been dropped out of heaven. There stood
this gigantic stone statue of a virgin goddess; and a whole state bowed around
her and acclaimed her to be God, but she was dead—only a stone—nothing else. God
sent his Son, and He is alive.
The life is the source of light for humanity. Listen to John. “In him was life;
and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the
darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:4–5).
What is the darkness? It’s the darkness of our sin. It is the darkness of the
despair in our lives. God says that even the darkness of sin and death cannot
hold back the light. The world says, “We will snuff out the light of Jesus; it
must not shine.” But God says, “The darkness cannot hold back the light of the
living Son of God.” Light comes to our souls to change us, to make us new
creatures; and this light comes from Jesus.
Jesus as man. John said, “And the Word was made flesh” (John 1:14). The
Word was in the beginning. The Word was God. And the Word became flesh. God came
in flesh in the manger of Bethlehem. It was God in the flesh who walked the
streets of Nazareth. It was God in the flesh who touched blind eyes and deaf
ears and healed them. It was God in the flesh who taught by the shore of
Galilee. It was God in the flesh who faced controversy at Jerusalem with the
religious powers. It was God in the flesh on the cross of Calvary, and it was
God in the flesh who rose from the dead. “And the Word was made flesh . . . (and
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of
grace and truth” (John 1:14).
The glory of God. Many people claim that Jesus is not the Son of God, saying
that He is an example to be followed but no more. How wrong they are! He is not
just an example. Any person can be an example. We see in Jesus the glory of the
Father. We see Him full of grace, full of unmerited favor, and full of truth. We
see Him, the Son of God, willing to die for us though we are sinners. We see Him
paying the price of our sin on Calvary’s cross though we do not deserve it.
The glory in humankind. John testified that the glory of Christ is available to
all (1 John 1:1–3). He told about his
personal experience with Jesus as the Word of Life. He testified that he had
seen Jesus with his eyes and had touched Him with his hands. He is talking about
his Christian experience. He is saying, “Christ was born! Christ came to the
world, and He became the ultimate sacrifice for sin.”
But more
importantly he is saying, “Christ came to me! I saw Him, I touched Him, and He
changed my life!”
So, you see, this is what Christmas means. It’s not just a beautiful story, not
just a nativity scene. It’s not a star in the sky and certainly not one on top
of your Christmas tree. Christmas is Christ living in you and me.
“Why has God touched my life?” asked John. “To change it,” he answers himself.
But listen, for there is even more. “That which we have seen and heard declare
we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship
is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). With
that John lifts the Christian experience entirely out of the realm of theory and
puts it into the realm of practice. “In the beginning was the Word.”
Is that all? Does the story end with a star and angels and shepherds and wise
men? No, there is more: Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Is that all? No.
Jesus is alive, and He comes to us one by one to call us to everlasting life and
fellowship with him. The Christmas story is Jesus alive—and Jesus alive in you!
Is He there? Has the star shone in your soul? The wise men followed it to
Bethlehem. Wise men today come to the Christ and believe in him.
Sunday December 5th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: Reflections of
Jesus in Genesis
By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Text: “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to
this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen” (Gen.
22:14).
Dr. Robert G. Lee used to tell about a famous songwriter who loved the Lord very
much.
The composer wrote a song with a beautiful romantic tune and a wonderful message
about Jesus.
He was offered a large sum of money by a secular publishing company if he would
change the lyrics.
The publishing company asked him to substitute the word “love” for “Jesus.”
The composer replied, “If you leave out
Jesus, you have left out everything.A professing Christian, after having a
powerful experience with God, said to his pastor, “I had been listening to you
preach for many years but had not been hearing you.
I know you had been preaching the Word of God and Jesus, and I know you had been
telling me what I needed to hear, but I had not been hearing it.”
He continued, “Since I committed my life to Jesus,
I now hear what you’re saying.”
People read the Bible and fail to see Jesus. They go to church and do not come face-to-face with him. Often people are in the environment of Christian experience, but they do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. They know about him, but they do not know him personally.
In reading Genesis we can see Jesus on almost every page. The problem with the
Jews in the first century was that they could not identify the Messiah because
they had not really seen him in their Bible. In journeying through Genesis, we
see Jesus in many experiences. Genesis does not speak of Jesus’ birth, but it
does demonstrate his existence.
Two experiences in the life of Isaac illustrate God’s plan in Jesus. They show
us that God has always had a plan to seek and save the lost.
A Sacrificing Savior (22:8–14).
Promise.
Isaac was the son of promise. God had
made a covenant with Abraham, telling him that all nations of the earth would be
blessed through his descendants, but Abraham did not have any descendants.
Abraham took this matter into his own hands. Since he did not see any way the
promise could be fulfilled, he decided that he would help God work it out.
Abraham had a son by the handmaiden Hagar, but he was not the son of promise.
Then God spoke when Abraham was ninety-nine years old
and Sarah was ninety.
God said, “I am going to give you a son.”
Miraculously, he did.
Isaac was born.
Later God said,
“Abraham, you must be willing to sacrifice your son.”
So Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah. Isaac, carrying a load of wood for a
burnt offering on the altar, said,
“Father, where is the lamb?”
Abraham answered, “God will provide.”
The Weight of Sin.
Isaac carried the load of the
sacrifice. All humankind is under the weight of sin. If we read this passage in
light of our socialistic trends,
we might judge God to be unjust in asking Abraham to sacrifice his son. But if
we look at it from God’s perspective, it is quite different.
Isaac deserved to die, just as we all do.
He was a sinner, and so are we, and the wages of sin is death.
Isaac, on his way to his own sacrifice, is symbolic of the needs of humankind.
He was under the load of sin—a
sinner with questions and no answers, a sinner with sin and no forgiveness,
a person with no hope even though the promise of God rested on his whole life.
God’s Provision.
Abraham and Isaac went to the place God had designated, and Abraham built an
altar. He tied his son and was ready to sacrifice him when God spoke. We see
Isaac as a symbol of sinful humankind under the load of sin and without hope.
But then God spoke and we do not see Isaac. We see the provision of God. For God
supplied a ram with his horns caught in a bush,
put there as a sacrifice in place of Isaac. God was ready to take the load of
sin off the shoulders and out of the heart of Isaac.
The ram was sacrificed in Isaac’s place. Abraham’s faith was demonstrated by his
willingness to sacrifice his son,
but the important thing is that a sufficient substitute had appeared by the
grace of God.
This story reminds us of Jesus.
We are carrying the burden of our guilt—not supposed guilt, not assumed guilt,
but real guilt. We deserve the penalty of hell,
but by grace God has sent a Lamb. That Lamb is Jesus, humbly born in Bethlehem’s
manger; sadly yet victoriously living among his own people who rejected
him; and terribly yet gloriously dying on Calvary’s cross for our sins/
The Victory.
Picture Abraham and Isaac coming down from Mount Moriah. Isaac is not
carrying the load of sacrifice.
The sacrifice has been made. Isaac is no longer asking, “Where is the lamb?” The
lamb has been provided. Isaac has been saved.
The Christ has come. The sacrifice has been made.
The price has been paid on the cross of
Calvary, and the resurrection has providedsalvation for all who will accept. We
are free from the guilt of sin because of the Lamb God has provided.
A Seeking Savior (24).
Another story about Isaac reminds us about the seeking Savior.
Abraham had left his relatives in Haran and gone to Canaan. Isaac needed a wife.
The Canaanite women were not right for Isaac because their people worshiped
idols. Isaac, as the son of promise, would be an ancestor of Jesus. So the right
wife had to be found for him.
The Searching Spirit.
Abraham sent his servant Eliezer back to Haran to find a bride for Isaac.
Eliezer went to the home of Laban, the kinsman of Abraham
and Sarah, where he obtained Laban’s permission to take Rebekah to be Isaac’s
wife. Rebekah’s mother did not want her daughter to leave, but finally the
moment came when Rebekah was asked,
“Will you go and be the bride of Isaac?”
She said, “I will go.”
The Joyous Christ.
A glorious meeting took place between Rebekah and Isaac. “And Isaac went out
to meditate in the field at eventide:
and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. And
Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac,
she lighted off the camel” (Gen. 24:63).
Why would God put a beautiful love story like this in the Bible?
Because God is telling us about Jesus.
He is telling us about the son of promise, Isaac, in search of a bride.
Jesus also came to search for a bride. Jesus is the Son of God, and his bride is
the church.
As Abraham sent out Eliezer, God sends out the Holy Spirit in search of the
bride of Christ.
What did Eliezer do?
He went to Haran and told Rebekah about Isaac. The Christ has come, and the Holy
Spirit of God moves around the world to tell people about the Christ. He gathers
the church, the bride of Christ.
God has always had a plan, and the plan is Jesus.
If you leave out Jesus, you have left out everything.
Jesus is the essence of God’s grace. Jesus is the Savior who not only saved
Isaac from death but also from guilt and from hell.
And he saves us from death, guilt, and hell also.
The Willing Bride.
Jesus is the one who sends forth his Holy Spirit in search of his bride.
What a beautiful truth!
Not only has God provided salvation, but he searches the earth for the souls of
men and women, boys and girls who will give themselves to him and who will say
as Rebekah said,
“I will go.”
The story of Jesus is an eternal story. It did not begin in a manger in
Bethlehem; it began in the very being of God. It is a story that has been
included in the purpose of God ever since he said, “Let
there be light.”
It is a story that is ever expanding as God touches the lives of all people who
will submit to him.
The Christmas story is not written in the pretty decorations we place around our
homes.
It is not written as we exchange nice
gifts.
The Christmas story is written in our acceptance of Jesus as the Savior and Lord
of our lives.
Sunday November 28th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
Courage to Say Yes
Pastor Don’s message this morning that speaks of the Courage to Say Yes comes
from John 21:15-22 where we read: “(15)
So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of
Jonah, do you love me more than these? He said to Him, yes, Lord; You know that
I love You. He said to him, Feed My Lambs. (16) He said to him again a
second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said to Him, yes Lord; You
know that I love You. He said to him, Tend My sheep. (17) He said to him
the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because
He said to him the third time, do you love Me? And he said to Him Lord, you know
all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. (18)
Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and
walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands,
and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. (19) This
He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken
this, He said to him, Follow Me. (20) Then Peter, turning around, saw the
disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the
supper, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays You? (21) Peter seeing
him, said to Jesus, But Lord, what about this man? (22) Jesus said to
him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
Pastor Don says that he discovered that the key to answering many of the
questions concerning his life as a Christian was knowing when to say yes and
when to say no. Courage to say no is not always easy to come by but, having the
courage to say yes when we are called to give our best may be even harder than
saying no to the dark temptations of life. Our text confronts us squarely with
the challenge to say yes. You see, Peter wanted to say yes, but it was difficult
because he had failed before.
Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” Three times he asked the burning question.
At first glance it appears that Peter indeed said, “Yes, Lord, I do love you.”
But a closer look at the Greek text reveals that Peter equivocated. Jesus had
asked him, “Peter, do you agapaō me?” Which means “Do you have the highest
spiritual devotion to me?” Peter replied, “Lord, you know that I phileō you.”
Which means “I have a warm brotherly affection for you.” Perhaps Peter
remembered his heartfelt but unkept promise, “I will lay down my life for you,”
which is found in John 13:37. He had talked
more than he could perform. Now he was more reticent in his response. He wanted
more than anything to serve his Lord; but how could he say, “Yes, I will agapaō
you,” when he failed so miserably before in the hour of his Lord’s crisis?
So, when Jesus asked Peter the third time, “Do you love me?” he used Peter’s
word, phileō . Peter must have been pierced to the heart by Jesus’ willingness
to accept what Peter could say even if it was not all his Lord had a right to
expect from him. Peter’s dark failure in the night of his Lord’s agony haunted
him now. But Jesus would not leave Peter in his defeat. He needed Peter’s yes at
the level Peter was willing to begin. So, with great tenderness our Lord gave
his broken servant a new task. “Feed my lambs,” Jesus said to him. “Tend my
sheep.”
Many people have made commitments to serve Jesus Christ as a missionary, as a
Sunday school teacher, as a deacon, or as a faithful steward of the possessions
God has given. And many have failed to keep their commitments. If you are one
who has failed before, what would Jesus say to you? He would ask you, as He
asked Peter, “Do you love me? Then do My work: follow Me and feed My sheep.”
The courage to say yes must not depend on another person’s response. The
disciple John was closely watching the exchange between Peter and Jesus. Peter
turned to John and then back to Jesus and asked, “What about this man?” I’m sure
we all know that feeling. Weary and doing all we can do; we sometimes grow
discouraged because of others around us who seem to do so little. But Jesus
replied, “What is that to you, Peter? Follow me.”
We can personalize that
by saying What is that to you Wanda, Follow me.
To be sure, it is irritating to be around people who are always willing to “park
on someone else’s dime.” Some of us grow weary in well-doing and are tempted to
judge the inadequate or faithless response of others as justification for our
reluctance to say, “Yes, Lord. You can count on me.”
The courage to say yes is necessary if we are to be victorious.
No victories can be won unless we learn to say, “Yes, I am available to serve.”
In our church we are faced with a remarkable challenge. If we were less brave,
or if our cause were not so crucial, we might be tempted to run and hide, or
maybe to take a leave of absence from our church responsibilities.
But the truth is, God has called us to be His church right here, right now. We
need to say yes to His call to make a difference in this community and
throughout the world.
Jesus has the heart of a shepherd. He seeks lost sheep. Frightened or hungry
sheep are the object of His special care as we see in John chapter 10,
verses 1–18. So, when Jesus asked Peter to take care of His sheep, He was
calling him to join in the task of the Great Shepherd.
Great causes do not move forward without great commitment. It’s a risk whenever
we set out to do more than we’ve ever done before. There is always the
possibility of embarrassment if we fail. But we can never know the glory of
victory if we are unwilling to risk defeat. We as Christians must believe that
if God is in the task, it does not matter who is against us. We must nurture the
flock to maturity in Christ. We must search for an open place in the hearts of
others where we can enter in Christ’s name. Single adults who are afraid that
life will never make sense must be reached by this church. Families who are
holding on by their fingertips must be reached by this church. Young people who
are desperate for the assurance that they are loved must be reached by this
church.
When Jesus asks, “Do you love Me?” we must commit ourselves to caring, sharing,
giving, and loving! Although it’s not easy to say yes, we must not hold back.
He will give us the courage to say yes because He believes that we, too, can follow him.
Sunday November 21st, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: The Secret of
Thanksgiving
Prepared By: Pastor Don
Text: “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures
forever!”
(Ps. 107:1 RSV).
Scripture Reading:
Psalm 107:1–9; Philippians 4:4–13
Philippians 4:4-13 NIV
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your
gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about
anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally,
brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. Whatever you have learned or
received or heard from me, or seen in me put it into practice. And the God of
peace will be with you. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed
your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to
show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be
content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know
what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and
every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in
want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
The Psalms have been - for faithful Christians the source of song and praise
and, along with the Lord’s Prayer, the pattern for - our most earnest and joyful
prayers.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer learned much about prayer in his courageous struggle against
the Nazis in Germany. He insisted that Christians cannot really learn to pray
unless they come to the Psalms. He considered it a dangerous error “to think
that the heart can pray by itself. For then we confuse wishes, hopes, sighs,
laments, rejoicings all of which the heart can do by itself with prayer. And we
confuse earth and heaven, man and God. Prayer does not mean simply to pour out
one’s heart. It means rather to find the way to God and speak with him, whether
the heart is full or empty”
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Psalms:The Prayer Book of the Bible
[Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1974], 9).
The Psalms are full of the range of human emotions all offered to God in prayer.
In the psalm before us, the prayer is one of joyous thanksgiving to the Lord. In
this text we will discover the secret of thanksgiving.
The first secret of thanksgiving is that we are able to do the following:
Celebrate the goodness of God (107:1).
God’s goodness is illustrated in different ways throughout the psalm.
He "delivered them from their distress"(v. 6 RSV).
He satisfied the thirsty
and filled the hungry with good things (v. 9).
“He brought them out of darkness and gloom, and broke their bonds asunder”
(v. 14 RSV).
He healed the sick and delivered his people from destruction (v. 20).
When sailors in bitter distress, staggering like drunken men on ships buffeted
by mighty storms, cried out to the Lord, “he made the storm be still, and the
waves of the sea were hushed” (v. 29 RSV).
“He raises up the needy out of affliction” (v. 41 RSV).
The people of God are called to be thankful to a God who is good. The joy of
thanksgiving to a good God, is too much for a solo voice. It requires choirs of
people. So this psalm is sung as well as prayed by the congregation. The Lord is
good. Let his people praise his name.
The second secret to thanksgiving is to do the following:
Focus on the main issues of life
(107:4, 10, 17, 23–27).
The psalmist painted four pictures of people who have been forced to
consider the main issue in life.
First, there are travelers who lost their way in the desert wilderness (v.
4). They circled in a desert where there were no familiar landmarks. Alone,
hungry, and thirsty, they were ready to give up when they called to the Lord,
and
“he led them by a straight way, till they reached a city to dwell in” (v. 7
RSV).
The second picture is of captives who suffer in terrible prisons, covered by
darkness and bound in irons.
The third window through which we view the extremity of life - reveals those who
are sick and barely able to keep out of the grave. Though all sickness is not a
result of sin, sinful ways do bring deadly ills.
The fourth description of terror is of sailors who are helpless before a
relentless storm (vv. 23–27). The Jews were not known - for their prowess
at sea. Indeed, the sea was a special terror to the Hebrews.
In these illustrations the psalmist reminds us of the primary issues in life.
A person may complain of not having expensive shoes to wear until he sees
someone who has no feet. Another person may complain of not being admitted to a
prestigious university until she meets a child who is mentally challenged.
Thanksgiving wells up in the hearts of men, women, and children who know the
difference between necessities and luxuries, and who have learned to be grateful
for the basic joys of life itself.
The New Testament gives its own word of grace to those trapped in the despair
described in the four pictures of this psalm.
For lost travelers in the desert, Jesus is both the Shepherd and the Way
(John 10; 14).
For captives in dark prisons, Jesus is the one who gives “deliverance to the
captives” (Luke 4:18).
For those who are sick, Jesus is the Great Physician who cared for the sick and
healed those who came to him.
For those at sea who fear for their lives, Jesus is the one who spoke to the
storm “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39).,
Alford “Butch” Summers, thirty years old, was buried under tons of rubble when a
hotel collapsed while he was working there as a welder.. He said, “There was no
warning. All I could remember was all of a sudden, blam! It just collapsed. No
warning. There was no way of warning anybody. Everything was dark. . . .“Did I
panic? Oh, there was a time -when I thought I might not make it. But I just kept
pounding the pipe and praying a lot and hoping. I mainly laid down and prayed. I
did an awful lot of praying. I prayed to Jesus, because he was the only one I
knew who could get me out of this. I’m not much of a religious man, but if
anyone could get me out alive, it had to be Jesus”
(Fort Worth Star Telegram, November 16, 1978, 3A).
Three and a half days after the collapse of the hotel, Summers was rescued from
the two-foot-high cavity where he had been trapped. From his hospital bed,
Summers said, “I don’t know how long I was there. All of a sudden the world
caved in on me.”
When the world caves in on us, as it did on Butch Summers, or as it did on the
people described in the psalm, we cry out to the Lord in our distress, and he
does hear us.
The secret of thanksgiving is partly discerned when we face trouble and realize
that all things are not equally important. When the basics of life are provided,
then is the time for great thanksgiving.
The third secret to thanksgiving is this:
Remember the source of our help
(107:3, 7, 14, 16, 20, 29–30).
Although Summers said he was not much of a religious man, he did know
the source of his help. He knew that “if anyone could get me out alive, it had
to be Jesus.”
The people of Israel understood,
as this psalm so clearly shows, that God was the source of their strength and
deliverance.
He had brought them out of bondage;
he had led them through the wilderness;
he would bring them safely home.
If we are to be thankful, we must remember
from whom the blessings flow.
A man who had sought to maintain an atheistic viewpoint confessed that he came
to a time when he began to believe in God. This came as a result of not knowing
who to thank when he delighted in the joy of life, the beauty of a dawn, the
glory of the birth of a child, the love in the eyes of his wife. On reflection
he had to admit to himself that the astonishing joy of life was so magnificent
that nothing less than God -could have made it possible. His desire was to say
thank you.
Only God was worthy of gratitude.
The fourth secret to thanksgiving is the following:
Take time for gratitude (107:8, 15, 21, 31).
After God’s deliverance of the people, noted the psalmist, they took time to be
grateful.
We have often wondered with some amazement that of the ten lepers whom Jesus
healed,
only "one" returned to say thank you
(Luke 17:18).
We are often guilty of the same carelessness.
When we do not give thanksgiving, it is sometimes because we simply are not
willing to do so.
On an autumn night in 1860, a steamboat broke up and sank in Lake Michigan one
mile from the village of Winnetka, Illinois.
Of the 393 passengers aboard the Lady Elgin, 279 drowned. Of the 114 survivors,
17 were saved by Edward Spencer, a student at Northwestern University.
Spencer was a strong swimmer, but after having made seventeen round trips, he
became delirious from the strain. It was reported that he asked again and again,
“Did I do my best?”
As a result of that night, Spencer became sick and was confined to a wheelchair
all through life.
Some years later, on Spencer’s birthday, a reporter asked him his most vivid
memory
of that heroic date in his life.
His answer?
“I remember that not one of the seventeen returned to thank me”
Finally, then, the secret of thanksgiving is simple.
(1) You must be open to the goodness of God.
(2) You must be willing to focus on what really matters.
(3) You must remember where your help originates.
(4) You must be willing to take time to say thank you.
Now you know the secret.
Knowing this, you can turn every day into Thanksgiving Day.
Sunday November 14th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Pastor Don’s message this morning comes from the parable of The Baron Fig
Tree found in Luke chapter 13.
Luke 13:6-9 says: “(6) He also spoke
this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came
seeking fruit on it and found none. (7) Then he said to the keeper of his
vineyard, look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and
find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground? (8) But he
answered and said to him, Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around
it and fertilize it. (9) And if it bears fruit, well, but if not, after
than you can cut it down.”
This short parable from Jesus has many lessons. We must not dwell on what we
can’t understand to the extent that we miss what is so obvious. We need to
approach this parable with an honest mind and a prayerful heart. Let’s take a
look at four lessons this parable teaches us.
First there is the necessity of repentance. How do we know this? Well, Luke
introduces the parable in the first five verses of the Chapter. Twice in those
five verses, Jesus tells his listeners that they must repent or perish. As the
chapter continues, se see that this introduction supports the parable in verses
6 through 9. It becomes clear that those who fail to bear fruit must repent. The
need for repentance applies to many areas of life. Those who are lost in sin
must repent in order to be saved. Christians who are unfaithful must repent
because they are unproductive. The church—Christians collectively—must bear
fruit. If the church fails in this area, its members must repent and strive to
produce fruit for God’s kingdom.
The second lesson in verse six shows that Special opportunities are presented to
each of us. We are judged according to our own opportunity. No one is held
responsible by God for someone else’s opportunities. Those who are lost have an
opportunity now. If they don’t seize it, they may live to regret it. A church
may have an opportunity at a given time, but if the opportunity is not seized,
it may never be offered again. Opportunities may not always be available. For
one thing, death will destroy opportunity. Once death overtakes those who are
lost, they never have another opportunity to be saved. This is equally true of a
Christian and service.
The third lesson in verse eight tells us We must have patience. The parable of
the barren fig tree is a picture of the Lord Jesus at work. He is portrayed as
the mediator between God and humankind. He makes intercession for us. The
parable is also a picture of God the Father waiting patiently. He goes the
so-called second mile. He gives another chance. He waits and waits. If you are
waiting for something from God, be patient. Search your heart and your life and
see if there is something you need to change in order to be more receptive to
God and His message. Then again, be patient. God works in His time, not ours.
And the fourth lesson in verse nine speaks of the necessity of action. The words
“Let it alone this year” in verse eight imply limitation. “This year,”
to those who are lost, may be the worship service in which they are sitting.
It may be a given invitation. “This year,” to the fruit-bearing or
non-fruit-bearing Christian, may be a week, a year, or another given period of
time. The words “then after that” in verse nine imply that judgment and
destruction come quickly. The listeners are urged not to procrastinate or
postpone. The time for them to act is now. The point is to repent. The point is
to witness for Christ. God will not wait forever for us to take action….a missed
opportunity might be missed forever. Do any of us want to stand before Him and
try to answer the question, “Why did you not tell them about me?”
Second Corinthians 6:2 says, “Behold, now is
the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
It is Pastor Don’s hope, my prayer, and my plea, that each of you will avail yourself of the opportunity that is presented right now.
If you are not saved, now is the time….if you are saved, now is the time to get busy for Christ!
Sunday November 7th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: Parable of the
Friend at Midnight
Prepared By: Pastor Don
Text: “And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who
seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened”
(Luke 11:9–10 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 11:1–13
The words of today’s Scripture reading are not specifically declared to be a
parable.
However, studies by some New Testament scholars identify it as such.
And since a parable is a story used to teach a lesson, I will treat this passage
as a parable in today’s message.
We find some big little words in these verses—words that are short in the number
of letters but big in meaning.
One of these words- is the two-letter word if.
Notice how it is used in this passage.
First, Jesus said if (implied) a mere friend does not want to give because of
inconvenience but will give when asked urgently, how much more will God give?
Second, Jesus said if a mere parent will give and not mock, how much more will
the heavenly Father give?
Since this is the central message of the passage, let us discuss it by using two
phrases.
“Because of his importunity” (11:8).
Consider this picture. It is a picture of sheer desperation. The root meaning of
“importunity” is shame.
Thus -this is the perfect picture of a person lost in sin.
In the Scripture passage the man was desperate because he failed to plan ahead.
In modern life the reasons are very similar.
Consider this lesson. The lesson is that a person brings this condition of
desperation on him- or herself.
It is the result of sinful attitudes and behavior.
Humankind is lost because of sin. Some Christians are ineffective because of it.
“And I say unto you” (11:9).
These words are intended as words of hope.
Even though a person may be lost in desperation, God is ready, willing, and able
to do something about it.
He offers hope to those who ask for his help in sincerity. He is able to meet
all needs.We need only to ask, seek, and knock.
These words are continuous action. They do not relate to a singular attitude or
activity but to the continuous attitude of a person and his or her relation to
God.
Christians are to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking.
The passage referred to as the Lord’s Prayer reflects this attitude.
One must have an attitude of confidence (v. 2).
The term “Father” indicates someone who is close at hand. God is always close
by, and believers are to pray with an attitude of faith in him.
One must have an attitude of reverence (v. 2).
“Hallowed be thy name.” The word “name” denotes all that God is in character.
Believers are to treat his name as holy.
One must have an attitude of submission (v. 2).
“Thy kingdom come.” This refers to the rule and reign of God. Submission begins
with an openness to God’s will, starting within one’s heart and moving out to
others.
One must have an attitude of dependence (v. 3).
“Give us day by day our daily bread.” Bread stands for everything one needs for
earthly existence. Believers are to depend on God to supply their “daily bread.”
One must have an attitude of penitence (v. 4).
“Forgive us our sins.” When believers pray for forgiveness, they also confess.
Forgiveness means to send away.
One must have an attitude of humility (v. 4).
“Lead us not into temptation.” This is a prayer for deliverance from temptation.
It is also a prayer for strength to resist temptation.
In today’s message we have discussed how to have our needs met.
Our greatest need is eternal salvation.
We need to ask for forgiveness and receive it.
Remember “all we like sheep have gone astray,…..
There is none righteous, no not one.”
We are all sinners saved by God’s grace!
Sunday October 31st, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: Parable of the Good Samaritan
Text: “Go, and do thou likewise” (Luke 10:37)
Scripture Reading: Luke 10:25–37
In this parable,
Jesus described two types of religion, or two different degrees of religion.
Religion based on the law but with no real commitment.
This type of religion has no eternal value.
The lawyer, as presented in Luke 10:25,
indicated that he was concerned with the law, in the Jewish sense, but not in
the secular sense.
He had a knowledge of the law of Moses and the prophets.
This can be illustrated by a person who has a knowledge of the content of the
Scriptures, but does not show any evidence of the Christian experience of
transformation and does not show Christian love.
The lawyer’s question did not spring from a sincere desire to gain insight; -
instead, the question was intended to trap Jesus.
The lawyer had no heart in his religion. He believed he had only to keep the law
to be saved.
Jesus’ answer in Luke 10:27 is a summary of the Ten Commandments.
The first section refers to a person’s relation to God
and the last refers to a person’s relation to others.
This type of religion has many obvious errors.
It seeks excuses for prejudice (Luke 10:29).
It fails to meet the needs of humankind (vv. 31–32). It brings misery to the one
who holds such a religion. - It does not meet God’s approval.
Religion based on commitment to God that lends quality to life. This type of
religion is in sharp contrast to the first.
The priest and Levite were professional religionists. The priest was one who
offered sacrifices,
and the Levite cleansed various things.
The Samaritan, however, was a hated person. In Luke 10:37
the lawyer would not
so much as say the word Samaritan.
This type of religion is demonstrated in compassionate concern.
Religion based on commitment to God overcomes prejudice.
Each person, regardless of ethnic background, is precious in God’s sight. This
kind of religion motivates personal sacrifice for others (10:34).
This kind of religion follows through on meeting needs (v. 35). The Samaritan
told the innkeeper, “I will repay thee” (v. 35).
The heart of the parable of the good Samaritan is “Go, and do thou likewise.”
The lawyer asked how to inherit eternal life, and Jesus answered him, “Become
like me.”
Love everyone. Do your best to meet the needs of others.
We claim to be Christians but the word Christian really means Christ like.
Are you Christ like in your dealing with those around us?
Sure we talk a great talk, but do our actions show that our walk is Christ like?
Many times, what we do speaks louder than what we say.
St Francis Ascici said “Preach the gospel always and when necessary use words.”
Those words are very true.
Our walk had better match our talk!
Sunday October 17th 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: Giving Thanks
To God
Prepared By: Pastor Don
Text: “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful
noise to him with songs of praise!” (Ps. 95:2 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Psalm 92:1–4
The psalmist said,
“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to thy name, O Most
High” (92:1 RSV).
Our being thankful pleases the Lord.
He does not actually need our thanks or our love, but we can be sure that his
heart rejoices when we offer thanks for his goodness and kindness to us.
Being thankful is good for us.
When we take time to review all the good things God has done for us, our hearts
are filled with joy and our faith is increased. Thus we can be optimistic as we
face the future.
Our being thankful is good for those around us.
Hearing our expressions of thanksgiving to God may be the means of others coming
to have faith in him.
We should praise God so that others will be attracted to him.
Certainly we cannot be a very good witness to God’s grace if we have no
gratitude in our hearts that expresses itself in thanksgiving.
Our being thankful is good for those beyond our acquaintance.
The influence of a grateful heart moves out as a benevolent influence upon
others.
Many people can be blessed if we follow the invitation of the psalmist and give
thanksgiving to God.
Let us give thanks to God for his character.
The Bible reveals God to be personal, powerful, and always present.
The Bible reveals our God to be a righteous God characterized by integrity and
justice.
The Bible reveals God to be trustworthy, reliable, and merciful.
We should always, in every situation, thank and praise God for being the kind of
God he is.
Let us give thanks to God for the church.
Through the church God blessed many of us with Christian parents.
Through the church he gave us the good news of his love.
Through the church he has provided us with teachers and worthy examples to
follow.
He has also provided us with invaluable friends and made us part of a great
family in the church.
Even though the church is imperfect, let us thank our Father God for it.
Let us give thanks to God for our country.
Around the world all people should discover those things about their nation and
their government for which they can give thanks to God.
Let us give thanks to God for our family.
The Bible teaches us that we are to honor and respect our parents. We are to
obey them in the Lord. After they become aged, we are to provide for them.
Those who have been fortunate enough to be reared in a Christian home should be
eternally grateful to God for this wonderful blessing.
Many of us can be thankful for a Christian companion who has been God’s blessing
to us in marriage.
Many of us can be thankful to God for Christian children.
Let us give thanks to God for personal blessings.
Each of us has received unique gifts, some of which are evident to all, but many
of which are private and personal.
It is good for us to thank God for these unique blessings.
Being thankful does not happen automatically; being thankful is a learned habit.
The psalmist would encourage all of us to develop the habit of coming into the
Lord’s presence with thanksgiving.
He would also encourage us to go out into the community and express our thanks
to God to others.
.................................................................................
A personal note from Pastor Don….I am thankful that God has once again spared me
from the ravages of cancer and has given me a chance to serve Him more,
And we are Thankful as well to God and Pastor Don. Family, We have seen the
MIGHTY Hand of God perform His Healing.
We have brought Pastor Don in front of The Family / The Church and Lifting his
needs and placed our hands on Pastor Don.
We had placed our "Trust In God and Our Faith without doubt with hearts wide
open, knowing HE Is The Great I AM.
Yes, God Still Heals, God Still Moves the mountains of discouragement and despair.
God's Light "Still
Shines Bright" in the Darkest of times, when we place our Trust In HIM.
Are you fighting a battle today?
Are you carrying a HEAVY Load that seems to have no end in sight?
God's Love, God's Son.. Jesus,
Hung on that cross at Calvary arms outstretched Wide OPEN and nailed to the
cross for You!
His Love reaches as FAR as the East is to the West. It Never Ending.
Thank God for sending His only Son Jesus, to take your place.
Your Sin's are
FORGIVEN
You have been washed WHITE AS SNOW.
That's something to SHOUT ABOUT.
Amen.
Sunday October 8th 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
Rejoice in the Lord
Pastor Don’s sermon this morning, titled Rejoice in the Lord, comes from
Philippians 4:1-7 which says: “(1)
Therefore, my beloved and longed for brethren, my jo and crown, so stand fast in
the Lord, beloved. (2) I implore Euodia, and I implore Syntyche to be of the
same mind in the Lord. (3) And I urge you also, true companion, help these women
who labored with me in the gospel with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow
workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. (4) Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I will say, rejoice! (5) Let your gentleness be known to all men. The
Lord is at hand. (6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.” Our key verse here is verse 4. It’s translated in
the Revised Standard Version as: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say,
Rejoice.”
Paul was truly practicing what he preached because he wrote this epistle of joy
from a prison to the members of a congregation in another city where he had been
imprisoned. After having been beaten with many stripes (whip lashes), Paul and
Silas were able to experience the joy of worship in unfavorable circumstances.
Acts 16:25–26 tells us “(25) But at midnight Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them. (26)
Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison
were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains
were loosed.” Even in the most trying of circumstances Paul was able to
continue rejoicing in the love and grace of God.
It is quite surprising to find an urgent pleading to rejoice in the Lord coming
from one who was a prisoner for his faith. Yet Paul repeatedly encouraged the
believers in Philippi to rejoice. In this imperative he reveals to us the true
source of joy, and he encourages us to respond to it with a positive mental
attitude characterized by optimism and hope amid circumstances that may not be
favorable.
The Philippian believers needed this exhortation. And the truth is, we also need
it almost 2000 years later. We have something to rejoice over and be glad in.
Jesus desired that his disciples experience fullness of joy.
John 16:24 tells us Jesus said: “Until now you have asked nothing
in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” Then in John
17:13 He went on to say: “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the
world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.”
The world needs a religion of joy. Many people live in defeat and despair
because they search for joy and happiness in the wrong places. Paul didn’t say,
“Rejoice in your health.” One’s health can fail. Paul didn’t say, “Rejoice
in your wealth.” You may not have wealth, and even if you did, you could lose
it. Paul didn’t say, “Rejoice in your friends.” Your friends may disappoint you.
Paul didn’t say, “Rejoice in your family.” Family can be a source of
unhappiness. Rather, Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say,
Rejoice.” He encourages us to make a spiritual inventory of that which gives
life meaning and purpose. He urges us to truly value that which is valuable and
to find our greatest satisfaction in our relationship with God.
Let us rejoice in the Lord’s person.
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is a moral God. He is a God of
integrity who is characterized by righteousness and dependability. He never
makes a mistake and will never conduct Himself in such a way as to disappoint
us, for He is a God of holiness and love. Let us rejoice that he is the kind of
God He is. Let us rejoice in our Lord’s purposes.
All of God’s purposes toward us are purposes of love, and He deals with us
according to His perfect wisdom. He knows our past, our present, and our future.
No evil is in Him, and no selfishness is in His purposes toward us. It’s God’s
will that none of us should perish, but that all of us should experience life in
its fullness.
Let us rejoice in the Lord’s promises.
The Bible is a book that contains many promises from the Father God to His
children. We need to discover these promises and respond to them in faith and
obedience. It is by His promises He uplifts us and enriches us.
Let us rejoice in the Lord’s power.
Our God is no weakling. He is the creator God and the sustaining Lord. He
provides all good things for us. In His strength we can resist evil and can
become what he wants us to be and achieve what he wants us to do. Let us rejoice
in God’s inexhaustible spiritual power, which is available to all who seek and
serve him.
Let us rejoice in the Lord’s abiding presence.
Our Lord promised His disciples that He would be with them at all times, in all
circumstances, to the very end of the age. We see this in
Matt. 28:20 where Jesus said, “…and lo, I am
with you always, even to the end of the age…” He is the God who has promised
never to leave us or forsake us. It is impossible for us to drift beyond the
range of his loving care as we are reminded in Psalm 139.
Let us rejoice in the Lord’s provisions.
God has provided for the forgiveness of all our sins in the past, and he
provides for our deepest needs in the present. Further, he promises to provide a
home at the end of the way. We are told this by Jesus in
John 14:1–3 where He said: “(1) Let not your
heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (2) In my Father’s
house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
Many things in life can cause us to become downcast, disappointed, and
discouraged. We must beware so that we don’t go searching for happiness and joy
in the wrong places. When the Lord is the basis for our hopes for the future, we
will find the source of unending joy.
Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.” As you
rejoice in the Lord, you will find life to be more meaningful. And you will find
life to be more productive as you seek to minister to others.
Sunday October 3rd 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: Let Us Sing to
the Lord
Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Text: “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto
thy name, O most High” (Ps. 92:1)
Scripture Reading: Psalms
92:1–4
Some say that three books are necessary for advancing the kingdom of God—
the Bible, the hymnbook, and the pocketbook.
Especially important are The Bible and The hymnbook.
The Bible is the record of God’s self-disclosure to our hearts and lives, while
the hymnal is a revelation of the noblest thoughts and intents of the human
heart and of its emotional response to God in worship and prayer, and the
pocketbook pays the bills.
Sacred music has always been connected with worship.
When the psalmist calls upon us to join our hearts together with him in singing
to the Lord, he is encouraging us to do what Moses had done after the crossing
of the Red Sea (Ex. 15), what Solomon would do when the temple was
dedicated (2 Chron. 5:12), what the angels would do when they announced
the birth of Christ (Luke 2:9–14), and what
we will do when we get to heaven.
The ministry of sacred music.
The psalmist is not alone in challenging people to join in praise to God. We
find the apostle Paul saying to the church at Ephesus, “[Address] one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with
all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ to God the Father” (Eph. 5:19–20
RSV).
We should join our hearts together in singing psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs. This is the noblest medium for the ascription of praise to God. Singing
aids us in our worship.
The singing of hymns and spiritual songs with joy in the heart moves the unsaved
to trust Jesus Christ as Savior.
There never have been - any great revivals apart from much singing.
A songless church is a powerless church.
The singing of gospel songs is an important part of an evangelistic service in
which the church is trying to win the lost to faith in Jesus Christ.
The singing of hymns and spiritual songs produces a unity of spirit, mind, and
purpose among the people of God. Singing contributes immeasurably to the
fellowship of the church.
The singing of hymns and spiritual songs creates a martial spirit among the
people of God, encouraging them to march against sin and evil.
The singing of hymns and spiritual songs serves as a medium for learning great
scriptural truths about God.
Let us join together in singing to the Lord.
The psalmist said, “I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to
my God as long as I live” (Ps. 104:33 NIV).
We can sing about God’s greatness and power. We can sing about God’s goodness
and mercy. We can sing with the joy of those who have been forgiven. We can sing
because death has been defeated. We can sing because immortality is a reality
through the risen Christ.
We may not be able to sing like the Morman Tabernacle Choir, but at least all of
us can make a joyful song to the Lord. We can rejoice that our God is the God
who puts a song in the heart.
Nowhere does it say we have to sing on key….but it does say to sing a new song
unto the Lord!
Sunday September 26th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
A Command Regarding False Teachers
Pastor Don’s message this morning, entitled A Command Regarding False
Teachers comes from Philippians 3:2-11 that
says: “ (2) Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the
mutilation! (3) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the
Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, (4)
though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may
have confidence in the flesh, I more so: (5) circumcised the eighth day,
of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews;
concerning the law, a Pharisee; (6) concerning zeal, persecuting the
church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless (7)
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. (8)
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count
them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in Him, not
having my own righteousness, which is from the law but that which is through
faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; (10) that
I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His
suffering, being confirmed to His death, (11) if, by any means, I may
attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Let’s look at verse 2 from the Revised Standard translation: “Look out
for the dogs, look out for the evil-workers, look out for those who mutilate the
flesh.”
In this command concerning false teachers, the apostle Paul warned the beloved
congregation in Philippi against the peril of being misled in their faith. In
the verses that follow the text, we gain the impression that these false
teachers were the Judaizers or those who believed that Gentiles must become Jews
in order to be Christians.
The Judaizers found it exceedingly difficult to believe that the Gentiles were
included in God’s great redemptive purpose. They would have preferred to
restrict Christianity to Jewish listeners, and they resisted every outreach
effort that was extended toward non-Jews. The Judaizers were seemingly unable to
see that their traditions placed restrictions on the love and mercy of God. They
were legalistic and literalistic in their interpretations of the Old Testament,
and they were blind to the changes that the preaching of the gospel and the work
of the Holy Spirit were bringing about in the hearts and lives of Gentile
believers.
In this warning concerning the necessity of being on guard against false
teachers, Paul feared that the Philippian congregation would be subjected to the
same kind of perils that he dealt with in his letter to the Galatians. The
Galatians had responded to the gospel by faith. Later they were confused and
misled by these Judaizers, who caused them to fall away from the way of grace.
They added to faith the works of the law as essentials for salvation.
The warning against legalism begins at verse 3 and continues through
verse 11 where we draw the conclusion that Paul was informing his converts
in Philippi to be on their guard. They needed to oppose those who insisted that
the proper observance of external religious ceremonies, along with ancestral
relationships, gave them a position of privilege in God’s sight.
Paul went into great detail to demonstrate that he no longer put his faith and
trust in the things on which he previously had based his hope for a right
relationship with God. We see in verses 7-10 that he no longer put faith
in his religious self-discipline or achievements as a basis for acceptance
before the Father God. And in verse 9 Paul encouraged the
Philippian congregation to trust in Jesus Christ plus nothing for a
righteousness that comes through faith.
In the closing verses of Philippians 3, Paul warned believers against
listening to and following those who separate creed from conduct and behavior
from belief. The false teachers in this passage may be the Gnostics, who
believed that people found acceptance before God on the basis of a superior
knowledge. This was communicated to them by those who were initiated into the
secrets of the knowledge of God. The Gnostics believed that matter is
essentially evil and that the Creator God is so exalted and so far removed from
humankind that he is unconcerned about human conduct.
These false teachers denied the true humanity of Jesus Christ and in so doing
also denied His divinity. The end result was complete license in conduct. Paul
warns his beloved Philippians against the belief that there is no relationship
between the condition of the soul and the life that one lives.
There are many false teachers in the world today. Some of them are very
sophisticated. We need to beware lest religious teachers lead us astray from the
truth of God’s Word. We need to be cautious lest we are led away from the path
of proper conduct by what we see on television or in videos. We need to be on
guard lest we are led astray by the customs and the traditions of our culture
that are often accepted as the law and the gospel.
Perhaps the finest way to prevent ourselves from being misled is to make a total
commitment to Jesus Christ as heaven’s infallible teacher as well as Lord and
Savior. Let’s listen to Him as He speaks to us with authority concerning God,
others, and things that are of eternal value.
There are many churches, colleges and organizations that claim to be Christian
but, in fact, they are not. We can identify them by examining them to see that
they have the form of godliness but deny the power thereof. There are those who
sugar coat God’s commands….they try to say that God really did not mean this or
that. Remember, this was the same line the serpent gave Eve in the garden that
led to man’s downfall.
Read your Bible. Understand that if God said it once, once is enough. Just like
when mom and dad gave you something to do or not do….they only had to say it
once to mean it. God hasn’t changed His rules in spite of what modern society
says to the contrary – another example of false teachings.
Sunday September 19th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
The Command to Cooperate
Pastor Don’s sermon this morning, entitled
“The Command to Cooperate” come from Philippians chapter 2, verses 12 and 13 “
(12) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (13) for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to give joyous attention to the great
imperatives that came from the apostle Paul. This veteran soldier of the cross,
this great missionary leader, this warmhearted pastor was seeking not only to
glorify God, but to point out those human responses that were essential for
spiritual growth and effectiveness in witnessing.
In the words of our text, Paul was encouraging the disciples at Philippi to
cooperate with God as He carried on a good work within them.
Philippians 1:6 states: “being confident of
this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until
the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul is telling us that God’s good work within each of
us began at conversion and will continue until Jesus returns to rule this earth.
The church in Philippi had heard the good news of God’s love that was revealed
in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They recognized what they
needed to do to receive the gift of new life. Paul told them that the conversion
experience is only the beginning of the human response to God, and it’s only the
start of God’s great redemptive work on our behalf.
As our text shows us, God’s good work in us continues as we cooperate.
Paul wasn’t declaring that the believers in Philippi had to work their way to
heaven. The salvation of the soul is not the result of the good works of even a
sincere and devout person. This is confirmed in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
where he wrote in chapter 2, verses 8 and
9: “(8) For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of
works, lest anyone should boast.”
And again, when Paul wrote to Titus chapter 3 and verse 5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Instead of works, Paul was affirming that if they would experience God’s full salvation from the downward pull of a fallen nature, but they had to cooperate with God as He worked within them.
Modern translations of our text can help us to see a bit clearer that for which
the apostle was pleading.
In The New International Version reads, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”
If we would work with God, we should make much of his Book. God will communicate
His will to us through the pages of the Bible.
If we would work with God, we must find our way into the closet of prayer.
Prayer is how we communicate with God, but even more important, it’s how He
communicates with us.
If we would work with God, we must let the church be the church in our lives. It
is through the local expression of God’s family that we experience His presence
and His love. It is through the church that we receive encouragement and
correction and comfort. All too often people say they don’t need to go to church
to worship God. But the truth is, we DO need the church and the family it
creates for us. Want proof? Just look at how we have seen the power of prayer
work for us as a group. God’s family helps us all.
If we would work with God, we must be responsive to the Holy Spirit. He is
seeking day by day not only to strengthen us, but to use us in witnessing to
unsaved people around us.
God’s good work in us will be completed when the Lord returns. We read in
Philippians 3, verses
20-21: “(20) For our citizenship is
in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ, (21) who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His
glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all
things to Himself.”
Our salvation begins at conversion and continues through consecration. It will
finally be consummated when Christ returns from heaven for His own. In
conversion we are saved from the penalty of sin. As we cooperate with Christ, we
are saved from the power and practice of sin. When the Lord returns, we will be
saved from the very presence of sin.
Our citizenship is in heaven. As disciples of Jesus, we’re just pilgrims here on
a journey. This world is not our home; we’re only passing through. As citizens
of the kingdom of heaven, we must live out that citizenship in an environment
that is not conducive to spiritual growth. It’s in this present world that we
must let our manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote
in Philippians 1:27: “Only let your conduct be
worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent,
I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind
striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
This is a personal challenge to each of us. And it’s not going to be easy.
That’s why we need one another through the church to help when we’re having
difficulties which can make us vulnerable to intrusion by Satan. We must also
maintain a robust prayer life -- personally and for others. And most important
of all, we must constantly read and study our Bible for this is the one place
where we can find all the answers we need in every aspect of our lives.
Sunday September 5th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: Why Do Good
People Suffer?
Text: “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the
LORD God” (Ps. 73:28).
Scripture Reading: Psalm 73:3–17, 28
Following the funeral service for his father, a man and his young son walked out
of the church to their car to drive to the cemetery. The son looked up through
his tears and asked, “Why did it have to be Granddaddy?”
We find the question “Why?” in the hearts of young and old alike. Many things
happen for which we can find no answer. Have you ever asked this question? If
so, you stand in good company.
The psalmist tried to live a good life. He endured pain, suffering, and tragedy
yet saw the wicked prosper on every hand.
He saw their pride. He heard them speak against God.
He heard them laugh at goodness.
The bewildered psalmist
cried out,
“Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer?”
Why do good people suffer?
People suffer because of sin.
We disobey the laws of God and suffer for our rebellion.
David suffered because he sinned against God.
People sow wild oats; then one day they reap an awful crop.
Adam and Eve were driven from the garden of Eden because they sinned.
Today people are driven from the gardens of happiness and blessing
into the deserts of misery and trouble
because of their rebellion against God.
The springs of life dry up. The flowers wilt and fade away. The birds cease
their singing because sin has entered the heart.
People suffer because of the frailty of human life.
Jesus said to his disciples, “In the world ye shall have tribulation”
(John 16:33).
Jesus promised his people in the beginning
that because they lived in the world,
they would suffer.
We suffer because of our own mistakes,
foolishness, and sin,
and also because of the mistakes, foolishness, and sin of others.
Some people break the speed limit and run stoplights. They make foolish choices.
They walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
They seem to court disaster.
Can you measure the amount of suffering
that is due to floods, fire, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and storms at
sea?
Such disasters are simply a part of our existence in a world of natural law.
Can you measure the amount of suffering that is due to
disease, weakness, and frailty of body?
And how much suffering is due to:
accidents of all kinds?
We suffer simply because we live in a fallen world.
People suffer because it builds character.
Paul said:
“We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience”
(Rom. 5:3).
God allows suffering in his world
because it produces character.
It educates. It disciplines.
It brings out the best in people.
Milton wrote more lastingly because of his blindness.
Tennyson wrote more beautifully because of his suffering.
Through suffering we learn that it is sweet to walk with the Lord and keep
company with his people.
People suffer because it deepens spiritual growth.
.....................
The psalmist said,
“Before I was afflicted I went astray:
but now have I kept thy word” (Ps. 119:67).
.........................
James put it like this:
“Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that
the testing of your faith produces steadfastness”
(James 1:2–3
RSV)
Suffering is often redemptive.
We learn through our pain to depend more fully on God.
It is said that one should darken a bird’s cage when teaching it to sing.
If the hand of the Lord had not darkened the windows, many of us never would
have learned to sing or be strong at all.
.......................................................
Lay hold on God in times of suffering and pain
even if your attempt is no stronger than a prayer,
and you will find that he has laid hold on you.
....................................................
Remember, you cannot have a beautiful sunset without clouds….
you cannot climb a mountain if it was smooth,
and you never see a rainbow unless there was rain.
People suffer because it teaches
how to trust God.
We learn through suffering to trust God even when we don’t understand.
In John 13:7 we read,
“Jesus answered and said unto him,
What I do thou knowest not now;
but thou shalt know hereafter.”
There are some things we will never understand on this earth.
Mystery is woven into the fabric of life.
Sometimes I wonder if the questions that bother us are really as big in God’s
eyes as they are in ours.
Have you ever watched a child cry or throw a temper tantrum because he or she
didn’t understand why one block wouldn’t stay on top of another,or why a doll’s
arm wouldn’t stay where it was placed?
That is big to a child, but to a parent it is such a trivial thing.
If we could only see life from God’s perspective, what a difference it would be!
English preacher: Maude Royden wrote,
“Christ does not give us reasons, at least not at the first instance. He
gives us strength without telling us why the pain has come and gives us reasons
only beyond the victory.”
It has been said that the worst sentence ever passed on Christians in the early
days of persecution was to be sentenced to the mines of Numidia.
Their chains were shortened so they could never be able to stand upright again.
Often one eye was knocked out.
They were then given a lamp and a pick and sent into the mines to dig until they
died.
Being watched by merciless overseers, these Christians knew they would never
come out of the mines alive.
Still God placed songs on their lips.
Their radiant witness and their grateful prayers are recorded on the walls of
the mines.
One word of courage there occurs over and over again.
It is the word “life.”
Their persecutors could shut them away from the world, but no enemy could shut
God in Christ away from them.
In their darkness they saw the Light of the World. They drew close to God and
found the secret of life.
May you draw near to God in time of suffering and find that he draws near to you
and makes you a stronger, happier, and better person.
.............................................................
A special note from Pastor Don,
being human, when diagnosed with cancer again I wondered why me? ….
but I have been "able to witness" to people I would never have met…
doctors, nurses, and I was able to "give hope" to other patients who were
being treated at the same time….
one doctor even told me that my faith in God helped them to renew their
own faith in God.
If one person was drawn closer to God by my illness, then to me it was worth it
all.
...............................................................
Time is shorter than we think.
Are you a LIGHT in this dark fallen world?
People are surely looking for answers:
And Jesus is THE WAY!
It's time We ALL Share The Good News with Someone Today!
Reach out to those who are searching, it will make an ETERNAL Difference not
Only to that individual,
But for God's Family, His Church.
Friends, Christ Is Coming Soon!
Are You Ready?
Sunday September 5th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
Don’t Quench the Holy
Spirit
This morning’s message from Pastor Don is taken directly from I Thessalonians
5:19 where Paul wrote: “Don’t Quench the Spirit.” This negative
command reveals that it’s highly possible that each one of us can be guilty of
doing just that. And, doing so is to grieve the heart of our Heavenly Father, to
deprive ourselves of His benevolent ministry, and to withhold from others that
which they could receive through us if the Spirit wee permitted to do His good
work.
There are two question each one of us must ask ourselves: First, have I choked
the life of the Spirit from within me? And second, have I poured water on the
creative fire of the Holy Spirit? When we honestly answer both questions, our
response to the Holy Spirit will require each one of us to plead guilty. So, how
do we avoid the possibility of making a negative response to the Holy Spirit?
Remember that the Holy Spirit is not some mythical thing floating around like a
Halloween sheet ghost. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity and is
very real. Unfortunately, in today’s languages, practices and understanding, we
have this mythical image when we hear the word spirit.
Let’s recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.
1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us, “Do you not
know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
And then in chapter 6:19–20 Paul continues: “(19) Or do you not
know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you
have from God, and you are not your own? (20) For you were bought at a price;
therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Have we quenched the Spirit by our very failure to recognize that He was and is
God’s gift to us at the time of our conversion experience? Let’s look at what
Luke wrote in Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said
to them, ‘Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins’ and you shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit.” Then in Galatians 3:2 Paul
wrote: “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the
works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
Some people have the mistaken idea that they must wait for a kind of spiritual
extravaganza before they experience the Holy Spirit’s presence. The fact is, He
came quietly but significantly in the moment you received Jesus Christ as your
Lord and Savior. Paul confirms this in Romans 8:9,
which says: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the
Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,
he is not His.”
We need to stand in awe before the significance of this truth that the eternal Spirit has come to dwell within us.
We must cultivate the fruit of the Spirit with cooperation.
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us exactly how to do
this: “(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control. Against such
there is no law.”
Our Heavenly Father’s purpose for us is to bring us into conformity to the image
of His dear Son. We see in Romans 8:28–29: “(28)
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to
those who are the called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He
also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be he
firstborn among many brethren.”
Keep in mind that it’s not the person that is predestined, but rather God’s plan.
The Heavenly Father is in the process of helping us in that direction day by
day. He has bestowed the gift of the Holy Spirit within us to make that
possibility real. Paul told the Colossians that Christ in them was the hope of
glory when he wrote in chapter 1, verse 27:
“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Becoming genuinely Christian is not a matter of our lifting ourselves up by our
own spiritual bootstraps, because on our own it just won’t work. Instead, it
comes about as we respond positively and continuously to the work of the Holy
Spirit. He seeks to reproduce within us the very nature and personality of Jesus
Christ.
We read in Galatian 5:22-25: “(22) But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (24)
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. (25) If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit.” In
these nine graces of the Spirit, we find a verbal portrait of Jesus Christ. We
also see a vision of what we can be as we are led by the Holy Spirit
Hebrews 3:7-11 says: “(7) Therefore, if
you will hear His voice, (8) do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in
the day of trial in the wilderness, (9) where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
and saw My works forty years. (10) Therefore, I was angry with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My
ways.’ (11) So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest’.” Using
the example of rebellious Israelites in the wilderness journey to the promised
land, let’s make sure we listen to the Spirit with joyful obedience.
There is no way God can lead us into our personal promised land in the here and
now if we neglect to hear the voice of the Spirit and refrain from obeying His
Word. No one can do your listening and obeying for you. God is at work for good
in each of us individually. To experience the fulfillment of His promise, we
must listen and obey.
It’s no accident that each of the seven epistles to the seven churches of Asia
Minor concludes with the exhortation in Revelation 2:7:
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The Holy Spirit is present in our hearts if we are believers, but it’s incumbent
on us to listen and obey Him to reap the full benefits of His presence. We can
discover His presence by responding positively to His gracious work within us.
And then we can rejoice in what God wants to do in us by His Spirit.
Don’t pour water on the fire of the Spirit!
Sunday August 29th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
Title: The Habit of Prayer
Text: “Pray constantly”
(1 Thess. 5:17 RSV).
The King James Version translates our text, “Pray without ceasing,” and The
Living Bible paraphrases it, “Always keep on praying.”
Paul is informing the dear disciples of Thessalonica that they should develop
the habit of prayer and then never break that good habit.
Jesus told his disciples a parable to the effect that they “ought always to pray
and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1 RSV). It is
the will of our heavenly Father that we form a consistent habit of prayer and
then not break that habit.
For the good of our own spiritual lives and for the advancement of God’s
kingdom, we should give ourselves constantly to prayer. This is not to imply
that we should assume some pious pose or that we should enter some type of
convent or monastery to give ourselves to uninterrupted prayer.
Prayer has both a human and a divine side: we talk with the Father, and the
Father communicates with us. True prayer is always a dialogue in which we bring
our confessions, our thanksgivings, our petitions, and our intercessions to the
Father. The most valuable part of the prayer experience is the listening side,
in which we let the Father speak to our needs.
We should have the habit of prayer because the Father God listens.
The Father is eager to bestow his gifts upon us.
The Father gives only gifts that are good for us (Matt. 7:11).
The Father gives gifts that are in harmony with his purpose.
We can discover God’s character by studying the Bible.
We can understand God’s gifts as we follow the Holy Spirit’s leadership.
We can know what to expect from God when we pray (John
15:7).
We should have the habit of prayer because of our great need.
We find that the great prophet Daniel had the habit of praying three times each
day (Dan. 6:10–11).
We should always pray a prayer of confession when we have any consciousness of
sin in our lives (1 John 1:9).
We should pray when we stand in need of wisdom (James
1:5).
Wisdom is God-given insight that enables us to see the end from the beginning of a particular course of action.
We should pray when we are tempted by Satan to do evil (James 4:7–8).
We should pray when we or our loved ones experience the pain and suffering of
illness (James 5:13–18).
We should pray when we are in any kind of need for God’s grace and help (Heb.
4:16).
We should develop the habit of prayer and not break it, because God yearns for
fellowship with those who are near and dear to him and because God has placed a
hunger in our hearts for fellowship with him.
Sunday August 15th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: The Ministry of a Comforter
Text: “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18 RSV).
Scripture Reading: 1
Thessalonians 4:13–18
The words of our text are directed to believers in Jesus Christ. Each of us is
commanded to participate in a ministry of bringing comfort to others. We are to
render this ministry with the precious promises and provisions of God described
by the apostle in the preceding verses (1 Thess. 4:13–17).
There is a need for comfort.
Sooner than we can imagine, we will either be in need of comfort or be
associated with someone who needs comfort. Very seldom does a month pass in
which death does not touch the life of someone who is near and dear to us. We
are not to remain unconcerned in the presence of grief.
“But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep”
(v. 13 RSV). While there is much speculation concerning death and the
afterlife, there is great ignorance concerning what the New Testament teaches
regarding God’s provisions for those who die with faith in Jesus Christ. Each
believer should study the New Testament to fully appreciate the resurrection of
Jesus Christ. We need to delve into great passages of Scripture like
1 Corinthians 15.
“That you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (v. 13 RSV).
Believers grieve over the death of someone near and dear just as unbelievers
grieve. When a person dies, all of those who knew him or her feel loss, and this
brings pain. While believers experience grief, Paul tells us that we must not
grieve as do unbelievers, for their sorrow is the sorrow of those who have no
hope. A nonbelieving husband was heard to say in connection with the death of
his Christian wife, “If I were only a Christian, it would not be so bad.”
He knew that apart from Jesus Christ he had no hope of ever experiencing his
wife’s presence again.
A perceptive observer on the mission field noticed the radical difference
between the grief of believers in contrast to that of unbelievers in the
presence of death. He expressed the judgment that if this were the only benefit
that came as a result of being a Christian, it would be worth all the effort and
expense put forth by the missionaries. As followers of Christ, we are encouraged
to refrain from grieving as though we have no hope.
What is the basis for the Christian’s comfort.
The apostle Paul said we are to “comfort one another with these words” (v.
18). What are the words to which he was referring?
“We believe that Jesus died and rose again” (v. 14 RSV).
Our only hope of victory over death and the grave is based on the fact that
Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died for our sins. He conquered the power of death and
the grave on our behalf. The resurrection of Christ provides us with a
revelation of what God has planned for those who trust Christ as Lord.
The occasion for these words of instruction and comfort grew out of the pain
that these early believers were experiencing when friends and loved ones entered
into death prior to the expected return of Jesus Christ. Paul affirmed that when
Christ returns to claim his own, believers who have experienced death prior to
that event will be with him.
Those who are alive at the second coming of Christ will not have precedent over
those who have died prior to that event (v. 15).
Some people interpret these verses of Scripture in terms of a detailed
explanation of our Lord’s return. We will get closer to the truth if we
interpret them in terms of instruction and comfort to distressed believers a
short two or three decades after the ascension of our Lord. Paul was affirming
that both living and dead believers will share equally in the wonderful victory
of the triumphant return of Jesus Christ. He was affirming that “we who are
alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord”
(v. 17 RSV). He
was dealing here with the pain that is experienced when death separates the
living from the dead. He was affirming that the day will come when we will be
together in and through Jesus Christ.
Each of us will need the comfort that comes from the God of all comfort and the
Father of mercy (2 Cor. 1:3–4). Each of us
is encouraged, even commanded, to be a source of comfort to one another. To
comfort means to encourage, to impart assurance of victory, to help others know
that death will have no final victory over us or our loved ones who know Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior.
We need to study the Scriptures. If we would be obedient to this command, and if
we would be a source of help to others, we need to know what the Scriptures
teach about the Lord’s provisions for those who trust him.
We need to claim the promises of God. The New Testament contains many promises
to those who trust Jesus Christ. Only as we claim these promises on a personal
basis can we experience God’s great comfort.
We can be the channel through which God’s help comes to others. Our presence and
our words of assurance and sympathy will bless others in their times of grief.
Determine that with God’s assistance you will be a source of help to others in
their times of sorrow and grief. Grief can not only involved death but it can
involve serious illnesses. We need to be there for them all.
Sunday August 8th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
A Ministry to the Whole Person
Today’s sermon, prepared by Pastor Don, bring us to the end of one of the
most practical letters in all the Bible. There were no holds barred as James
dealt with many areas of the Christian life. He addressed the wrong use of the
tongue, and showed the great harm and destruction can be done by this little
member. He addressed those who have been blessed of God materially but who have
misused their wealth, even to the the point of hurting others.
Then, about halfway through his letter, James changed his approach. He began to
deal with the “whole man,” and his words became unusually kind and
compassionate. If James had been following the modern-day style of letter
writing, he probably would have placed his “complimentary close” at the end of
verse 11 and added a “postscript” beginning with
verse 12. From the 12th verse through the end of the
chapter at verse 20, he dealt with matters that he didn’t bring out
previously in the letter.
James’s first message in the “postscript” is about watching one’s speech. He
wrote in verse 12: “But above all, my
brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But
let your Yes be Yes and your No, No, lest you fall into Judgment.” He was
speaking of the common practice of swearing in his day. We know that swearing
has always been a common practice -- then and now.
But James said, “Above all, my brethren, swear not.” Why “above all”?
He had just written about trials and afflictions. When a person is under great
stress, he or she may be tempted to ask, “Why?” Why has all this come
upon me? Or, “What have I done to deserve this?” The use of God’s name in
the trials of life can become an expression of anger rather than an expression
of praise. In times of trials and affliction, we must guard our speech, for what
we say in those difficult hours is very important. The fact is, a Christian’s
conduct under pressure always affects others.
We may have trouble trying to determine all that James meant in
verse 12. Some interpret his words to
constitute an absolute prohibition of oath-taking. But if we carefully examine
both the Old and New Testaments, we’ll find many instances where God Himself,
His prophets, and His apostles make use of oaths, or what we would call vows.
What James was encouraging us to do here is support what we say by what we are
and what we do. Many times, our works are more persuasive than our words.
James’s second message in the “postscript” is praying under all conditions. We
read in verses 13 to 18: “(13) Is anyone among you suffering? Let
him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. (14) Is anyone among
you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (15) And the prayer of
faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has
committed sins, he will be forgiven. (16) Confess your trespasses to one
another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective,
fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (17) Elijah was a man with
a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did
not rain on the land for three years and six months. (18) And he prayed
again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”
James made an earnest appeal for Christians to let prayer and praise be part of
every aspect of their lives. We should pay close attention to this.
First, he mentioned suffering in verse 13.
“Is any among you suffering?” Here James was talking about any kind of
trouble, physical or mental troubles, personal or family troubles, or whatever.
What is the proper attitude of Christians under such circumstances? The answer
is, “Let him pray.” Prayer can either move God to take away the
affliction or give us grace to bear it Paul reminded us of what Jesus said to
him in 2 Cor. 12:9
when he wrote: “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for
My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, most gladly I will rather
boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Second, James asked, “Is any cheerful?” James’ advice is appropriate: He
said, “Let him sing psalms.” We should never forget to praise God in
times of joy just as we remember to pray to God in times of trouble.
Third, he dealt with the sick in verse 14. When James spoke of suffering
in verse 13, he was talking about suffering in a broad and general way.
His reference to sickness is more specific. The Greek word suggests that it’s a
sickness that incapacitates a person. Those who are sick are to “call for the
elders of the church,” whose presence will encourage and hearten them, and
make them more conscious of the effectiveness of prayer. The elders are to pray
for the sick person, “anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
Now Oil in the Scriptures is a gracious symbol of the Holy Spirit. In Bible
times it was also a medicine. But here anointing with oil may have been intended
as an aid to the sick person’s faith.
Fourth, James summarized the matter of prayer verse 16. He drew two
conclusions. There is a need for confession of sins. He wasn’t saying that we
must confess all our faults to our fellow Christians. But rather we are to
confess to those whom we may have offended.
James also encouraged intercessory prayer in verse 16 when he said:
“And pray one for another.”. All the people are to pray, not just the
elders. James then said that there is great power in the prayer of a person who
is right with God.
Now we reach the conclusion of the epistle in verses 19 and 20 where
James wrote: “ (19) Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth,
and someone turns him back, (20) let him know that he who turns a sinner
from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of
sins.”
James is urging Christians to reclaim those who have fallen away. It’s here
where the “pastor heart” of James surfaced. He was talking about those who are
spiritually sick. To “convert” those who have wandered astray means to bring
them back to the way of truth, to turn them around. It’s God’s plan and purpose
to use His people as instruments in the saving of souls from death and in the
covering of a multitude of sins.
We can learn a lot from Pastor James. Remember he is a brother of Jesus Christ
and didn’t accept him as the Messiah until after the resurrection. His words
that have been given to us to show how we as Christians should live and behave.
We may be the only example of Christianity that someone may see so we need to be
on notice that how we conduct ourselves could be the difference between saving
or losing another person for all of eternity. Yes, it’s sobering to think about
but it’s the truth. And we must take it seriously. Wouldn’t hurt to reread this
short book often.
May God bless you all.
Sunday August 1st, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: Being Patient in Affliction
Text: “Take, my brethren,
the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord,
for an example of suffering affliction,
and of patience.
Behold, we count them happy which endure”
(James 5:10–11)
Scripture Reading: James 5:7–11
Sometimes preachers write sermons that are geared to specific instances he sees
in his congregation, and even sometimes preachers write sermons that they
themselves need to hear, this is one of those sermons that the preacher needs to
be reminded about especially when he himself is going through some difficult
times, because preachers are human too!
And I am sure it also fits each one of us at one time or another.
Beginning with verse 7 of the final chapter of James’s epistle, James’s
entire tone changed.
Note that he reverted to the word “brethren” as his word of address. His
theme in these verses
is a call for steadfastness in times of great affliction and trial.
He made an appeal for several things.
James exhorted Christians to be patient under trial (5:7–8).
James began his letter with an exhortation to “let patience have her perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing”
(1:4).
Then he began its conclusion with a similar appeal:
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord”
(5:7).
The word “therefore” doubtlessly points to the sufferings that poor Christians
were undergoing at the hands of the merciless rich,
which is the theme in the first six verses of this chapter. The inference is
that all the oppression they were undergoing
would be brought to justice, and they were to exercise godly patience under
trial. The word James used for “patience” is significant;
it means to be long-tempered, not short-tempered.
It suggests a self-restraint that enables one to bear insult and suffer injury
without resorting to a hasty act of retaliation.
James told us why we are to be patient.
When James said that we
are to be patient under affliction unto the coming of the Lord,
he was talking not only about duration the length of time we are to bear insult
and trial but also the reason for our willingness to be long-suffering.
The idea is that suffering Christians are not to take matters into their own
hands; rather, they are to know that God is able to avenge them, and they are to
wait for him to act. James showed Christians how to be patient under trial
(5:7, 10–11).
He used three illustrations to support his point.
First, James illustrated the experience of the farmer (v. 7).
The farmer patiently waits for his land to produce a crop. He prepares the soil,
sows the seed, and keeps the fields free of grass and weeds. Then he waits
expectantly. James made an application: “Be ye also patient; establish your
hearts” (v. 8).
Next, James illustrated the experience of the prophets
(v. 10). “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name
of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.”
There are two ways in which the prophets were an example to us—in their
sufferings and in their patience.
Finally, James illustrated the experience of Job (v.
11).
We know from reading the book of Job that Job sometimes gave vent to
outbursts of frustration and even anger.
...................................................................................
But in spite of his trials, he maintained a persistent
trust in God.
This is what James meant
when he referred to “the patience of Job.”
..................................................................................
He used a different word entirely from the word meaning
“long-suffering,” which he had been using all along.
For Job did not show a great deal of long-suffering, though he clearly showed
steadfastness, which is the meaning of this kind of “patience.”
The very fact that James spoke of God as
“full of compassion and mercy” (v. 11 NIV) suggests that our Lord feels
with us when we are undergoing these hard times.
The writer of Hebrews underscored this thought when he said of the Lord Jesus,
“We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses”
(4:15 NIV).
Therefore we must remember that our Lord
is hurting with us when we are enduring the hard times of life.
From it all will come the strength to grow and develop as mature sons and
daughters in his family.
Sunday July 25th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
A Warning to the Rich
Continuing in our study of James, Pastor Don brings us to
Chapter 5 verses 1-6. Here we find that this
wise pastor has some direct words about relationships between Christians within
the body of Christ. It seems that James began this teaching in 4:13,
which deals particularly with arrogance and self-centeredness in the Christian’s
life.
Although poverty was far more widespread than wealth in the early church, some
people had been blessed materially. Some wealthy landowners who belonged to the
church were misusing their wealth and taking advantage of those who worked for
them. Whether they were genuine Christians we have no way of knowing. They may
have accommodated themselves by using the church for selfish advantage. In any
event, James spoke plainly and sharply to them, and his words are good advice
for all of us.
We read in verses 1-3: “ (1) Come now, you
rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! (2) your
riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. (3) Your gold and
silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be witness against you and will
eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.” James
is boldly saying that these rich men had taken for granted the material
blessings God allowed them to receive.
There may have been a secondary purpose in James’ mind as he penned these harsh
words to the rich. Some people in the church, though not wealthy, may have been
working for riches. They may have begun to be a little prosperous, and the taste
of prosperity was sweet in their mouths. So, these words might also have been
“preventative medicine” for some of the Christians.
James spoke plainly first about the doom of the rich who placed their confidence
in material things. He had mentioned the rich in two earlier passages. In
Chapter 1, verse 10 James reminded wealthy
Christians that their wealth would soon pass away. Then in the opening verses of
Chapter 2 he referred to the unbelieving rich.
In the passage we’re studying this morning, James appears to be delivering a
broadside hit to the rich, speaking in the manner of an Amos or a Micah,
declaring that the judgment of God will inevitably fall on them and on their
wealth.
He began his warning by telling the self-centered rich to “weep and howl”
because of God’s judgments, which were soon to come upon them. Someone once said
that there are four classes of people when it comes to the matter of
possessions: (1) those who are rich in this world and poor toward
God; (2) those who are poor in this world and rich toward God; (3)
those who are poor both in this world and in the next; and (4) those who are
rich in this world’s goods, but because they hold them with a loose hand, are
rich in the next world also. Unfortunately, this last class is not a very large
one.
What was James calling these deceitful rich people to do? He told them in
verse 1 to “…weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.”
This is not the weeping of true repentance, though. Instead, they will have
realized too late that their wealth is not a passport to heaven and into the
presence of God. They will “weep and howl,” but it won’t get them what
they want because in the end they will have nothing.
In the ancient world wealth was of three types—food, costly garments, and
precious metals. James didn’t name all three of these specifically, but what he
had to say in verses 2 and 3 suggests that
he had them in mind. He said, “Your riches have rotted” (that’s the literal
translation of corrupted). This could refer to food that the rich had hoarded
and had become unfit for human consumption. A comparison here would be the way
in which the Israelites attempted to hoard manna found in Exodus Chapter 16.
The garments James mentioned were expensive clothes that had become moth-eaten
and consequently had no value. Also, the wealthy people’s gold and silver were
covered in rust. Though gold does not actually rust, this was probably James’
way of saying that their money had lost its value. Then he added in
verse 3, “You have heaped treasure together for
the last days.”
James went on to list the sins of the rich in Chapter
5, verses 4–6 where he wrote: “(4) Indeed the wages of the
laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the
cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. (5)
You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your
hearts as in a day of slaughter. (6) You have condemned, you have
murdered the just; he does not resist you.”
The first sin, seen in verse 4, was
injustice. These rich men, in their greed, had withheld wages from those who
worked for them. James dramatically pictured the wages of these defrauded
laborers crying out (the Greek word means “to shriek”) to God for
vengeance.
The second sin in verse 5 was extravagance.
This is a picture of people wallowing in luxury and immorality. Like cattle
fattened for slaughter, they have grown fat in body, mind, and spirit.
The third sin shown in verse 6 was violence against the righteous. James
was probably referring to legal or judicial actions taken against the poor.
As only he could do, James pulled no punches! In fiery, righteous indignation he
condemned those who have misused the blessings of wealth God had allowed them to
receive. Instead of using their prosperity to bless others and to glorify God,
they had used it to curse and destroy.
Even though many godly men and women through the ages have used their wealth to
bless others and advance God’s kingdom on earth, the temptations that accompany
material affluence are many.
James wasn’t condemning wealth; he condemned the misuse of wealth and that’s
really the bottom line of the lesson. God doesn’t forbid wealth. Rather He,
through His Word, is warning us that the wealthy need to be very cautious of how
they use it. Wealth and prosperity that causes the heart to change is the
problem. And if it becomes the priority and causes one to put God and a
Christian life aside, it has become a corrupting influence which endangers the
eternal salvation of the wealthy individual.
Sunday July 18th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
Who Is a Sinner?
Continuing our study in the Epistle of James, Pastor Don has prepared
today’s message from chapter 4:11-17 where
James asks us, who is a sinner.
There are two kinds of sinners in the world. One kind are those who reject Jesus
Christ and consequently dwell in spiritual darkness. Among these, there is
extreme divergence. Some are openly defiant and hostile toward God, while others
are passive and even apparently kind toward Christianity. The other kind are
those who are “saved by grace.” They’re clothed in the righteousness of Jesus
Christ, and when God looks on them, He sees them secure under the blood of His
Son. Yet these believers in the Lord Jesus still live in unredeemed bodies and
therefore fight a continual, lifelong battle with temptation and sin. These are
the kind of sinners James was talking about in our text. He was describing
Christians who fall victim to sin.
He speaks of the Christian who criticizes other Christians in verses 11-12
where he wrote: “(11)Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who
speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and
judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a
judge. (12)There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who
are you to judge another?”
In addressing the need for Christians to permit God to humble them, James
mentioned how those who have won some victory may become proud and arrogant in
their attitude toward other Christians. They allow Satan to worm his way in, and
they find themselves “evaluating” the lesser victories of their brothers and
sisters. The position of victory is often more dangerous than the position of
defeat.
James wasn’t talking about the fools who irresponsibly criticize everybody but
themselves. Rather he was speaking of those who are so wise in their own conceit
that when it comes to others, they are unable to exercise good judgment.
Some Christians have come to think so highly of themselves that when they speak of others, criticism and devaluation become automatic. James enforced his command by reminding us of two facts:
1. Those who are guilty of slandering others when he wrote in verse 11 of
speaking evil of the law and judging the law. What they are doing is setting
themselves above the law of God and considering it unworthy of their obedience.
2. And the second fact came when he wrote in
verse 12: There is one lawgiver, who can save and to destroy. In
other words, God is the one who holds the final judgment.
In his Epistle he wrote of three areas of human disregard:
Verses 1–10 show the human disregard for God in
preference for the world and the pleasures of the world;
verses 11–12 show the human disregard for God
in judging one’s fellow Christian; and verses 13–17 show the human
disregard for the providence of God. The fact is, humans, in their pride, don’t
want to acknowledge that they can’t determine their own fate and make their own
plans.
James goes on to depict those who arrogantly disregard God in verse 13
when he wrote: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and
such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’.”
Notice James’s illustration in verse 13. He
said that those who make plans without God say, “Today or tomorrow we will go
to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
Certainly, profit-making is essential in any business, but when it becomes a
passion and the motivation behind all our activities, we’re on dangerous ground.
Why is it wrong to let the profit-making motive become a consuming passion in
our lives? James told us in verse 14, that
we do not even know what will happen tomorrow” (NIV). Humankind stands between
the past and the future, and when we refuse to trust God with our tomorrows,
we’re torn between the memory of the past and the ignorance of the future.
So, what are the lessons to be learned from these facts? Well, we should take
full advantage of today and its opportunities. And our ignorance of what
tomorrow holds doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t think about tomorrow and make
provision for it. The fact is most of the duties for which God holds us
responsible call us to work for tomorrow.
James depicted the mystery of life verses 14–15:
(14) “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your
life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
(15) Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do
this or that.’”
Here is one of the greatest questions ever asked. “What is your life?”
James’s answer is profound: “It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time,
and then vanishes away.” He was clearly illustrating the swiftness and
transitory nature of life.
The great tragedy is that most people confuse life with the circumstances of
life. Life is largely independent of its circumstances. A person may be rich yet
unhappy or poor yet be happy. A person may be in prison yet sing, as did Paul
and Silas, while another may be free yet be sad and depressed.
Verse 17 says: “Therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do
it, to him it is sin.” James is speaking of the sins of omission, and he
meant that when we are fully aware of our duty yet fail to perform it, we sin.
It’s not enough to know to do right; we must do what we know we ought to do.
When emperors were crowned at Constantinople in the ancient past, the royal
mason would set before the emperor a certain number of marble slabs so the newly
crowned emperor could choose one of them for his tombstone. The point of this
custom was for the new emperor to realize that he would do well at his
coronation to remember his funeral.
Life is time, and the purpose of time is to prepare for eternity. There is no
more profound question in all of Scripture than this one that James placed
before us: Who is a sinner?
May God help us to
consider that question with great soberness.
Sunday July 11th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
When the Humble Person Is Exalted
Today’s message is from Pastor
Don and continues our study in the epistle of James, focusing on
chapter 4:1-10. Remember that James was writing to
Christian Jews of the dispersion. What does that mean? Simply that Christians
were living among non-Christians all over the world. Christians today continue
to live among those who are strangers to God’s grace. Because the world has
succeeded in penetrating the hearts and lives of many believers today, James’
words are just as relevant to us as they were to the Jewish Christians. In these
first ten verses of chapter 4, James wrote about worldliness, or
self-gratification, in the Christian’s life.
Verses 1-2 say: “(1)Where do wars and fights come from among you?
Do they not come from our desires for pleasure that war in your members? (2)You
lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.
Yet you do not have because you do not ask.” The RSV translates this passage as
the obsession to gratify self is the cause of wars and fighting among God’s
people.
Christians have said that the chief purpose of man is to glorify God and to
enjoy Him forever. But another philosophy of life originates in the sinful human
heart that says that happiness and pleasure constitute the chief goals of life;
in other words, the chief goal of humanity is the gratification of self rather
than the glorification of God.
James asked two questions.
The first is, “What causes wars, and what causes fights among you?” James wasn’t referring to international wars but to feuds and conflicts that develop among the people of God. The two words “wars” and “fights” are significant. The Greek word for “wars” describes a continual or chronic state of feuding or hostility, whereas the word for “fights” suggests flare-ups or outbreaks resulting from this tension.
The second question answered the first: “Do they not come from our desires for pleasure that war in your members?” James said quite plainly that quarrels and conflicts arise among God’s people because having their own way is their chief aim. He further specified that this warring is “in your members.” He wasn’t talking about the members of a congregation but about the members of our bodies. In other words, these external wars start within us!
James became more specific in verse 2 as he
developed the relationship between passions and wars. He was simply telling us
what can and does happen when people choose the gratification of self rather
than God as a way of life. He wrote in verse 3:
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on
your pleasures.” Clearly showing that the passion to satisfy self, undermines
the effectiveness of prayer.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also.” If we have our sights set on things below, it’s only natural that we
seek those things. Even after we become Christians, it’s possible for us to
place the wrong value on material things in relation to God’s purpose for our
lives.
Jesus reminds us in
Matthew 6:33 to ”seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
What did James mean when he said, you ask amiss -- or wrongly? He may have been
referring to asking for the wrong things (which can be done as the result of
ignorance), but most likely he meant asking with evil intent and with wrong
motives. He clarified with the next phrase: “To spend it on your pleasures.”
Make no mistake, God will neither hear nor answer that kind of prayer.
Verses 4-6 tell us “(4) Do you not know that friendship with the
world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world
makes himself an enemy of God. (5) Or do you think that the Scripture
says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?’ (6) But He
gives more grace. Therefore, He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace
to the humble.’ James is referring to unfaithfulness and spelling out for us
that our tendency to gratify ourselves is abhorrent to God and being a friend of
the world makes us enemies of God. He enforced what he said with a quote from
Proverbs 3:34: God resists the proud but gives
grace to the humble. The proud are those who arrogantly defy God and refuse to
admit His sovereignty over the world and over their lives.
James continues in verses 7-9 with “(7) Therefore submit to God.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (8) Draw near to God and He
will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts,
you double-minded. (9) Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be
turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”
This passage consists of a series of brief exhortations uttered with the quick
staccato of military commands. Each command calls for the self-seeking and
worldly-minded Christian to return to God. James sounds very much like an Old
Testament prophet in these statements. The essence of repentance is revealed in
James’ appeal to lament, mourn and weep in verse 9.
He’s showing us the picture of the person who realizes what his or her
sinfulness has done to a righteous and loving God.
Finely, the result of our doing all that James has said is reflected in
verse 10: “Humble yourselves in the
sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” We must acknowledge God’s
right to rule in our lives. We must also recognize that we are nothing—and only
as we become nothing can God be everything in our lives.
As the Apostle Paul stated “Not I but Christ!"
Sunday July 4th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
Who Is Wise?
Today’s message, entitled Who Is Wise? is from Pastor Don and continues our
study of the Epistle of James. A reminder, James isn’t writing as an Apostle nor
is he writing theology. He’s writing as a pastor to his church. Our text comes
from chapter 3:13-18.
At this point in the chapter, James seemed to change his subject. The first
twelve verses are devoted to the tongue. Now he turned to the subject of wisdom.
In these six verses, he approached his subject from three perspectives.
First, he discussed the proof of wisdom; then he dealt with false wisdom; and finally, he concluded with a declaration of the essence of true wisdom.
What is the proof of wisdom? James wrote in verse 13: “Who is a wise man
and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works
are done in the meekness of wisdom.” It can be said that two of the most
sought-after qualities of human life are wisdom and knowledge.
Judging from the verses that follow, James tells us that the wise person is the
one who possesses true knowledge of things both human and divine; “endued with
knowledge” speaks of one who can apply that knowledge to the practical details
of life.
Understanding that wisdom is not something acquired, but instead given by God,
James put forth a challenge to those who feel they have both wisdom and
knowledge.
“Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.”
James was saying here we need prove our wisdom! We do this by making sure that our life matches our profession of faith.
To put it in today’s terms: put up or shut up. And we are to do this with meekness of wisdom; or as the NIV translates it,
“By deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.”
The beautiful thought James put forth here is that meekness, or humility, is to be the natural accompaniment of wisdom.
Where there is no meekness or humility, there is no wisdom.
He then goes on to talk about false wisdom, which doesn’t have its origin with
God.
James wrote in verse 14: “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.”
He’s telling us here that there are telltale signs that let us know when this wrong kind of wisdom is present in our lives. These signs are bitter envy and strife.
The word translated “envying” is the same Greek word from which the word zeal is derived. The word literally means to boil or bubble up. Zeal can be both good and bad. One’s zeal—or fire—will either warm others or burn them! When others feel the bitterness of our zeal, they will surely conclude that the wisdom we seem to possess isn’t heavenly wisdom at all.
Verse 15 says: “This wisdom does not descend
from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.”
Here James outlined the distinctive traits of false wisdom. First, he described it negatively: This wisdom does not come from above meaning God, it’s earthly, sensual, and demonic. Then in verse 16 he wrote: “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there,” which describes the destructive consequences of this false wisdom.
Then he gives us hope in verses 17-18 where he wrote:
“(17)But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. (18) Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
James said that this true wisdom from above -- or from God -- is first pure.
In other words, above all else, wisdom from God is pure. It’s undefiled; it’s free from the self-interest that characterizes false wisdom. Worldly wisdom produces contention and strife. True wisdom is peaceable. It delights in promoting and making peace. It’s reasonable, forbearing, and courteous, and it doesn’t always insist on its own rights. True wisdom is compliant, conciliatory, willing to yield yet without compromise to evil.
James also said that heavenly wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits.
The word mercy speaks of compassion and pity shown toward those who are miserable and in need. Let’s not forget that mercy is a characteristic of God himself.
Finally, James said that true wisdom is without partiality, and without
hypocrisy. In other words, there is no prejudice and doesn’t show respect of
persons. It makes no distinctions. Instead, it’s genuine, sincere, and
unpretentious.
The NIV translates verse 18 to: “Peacemakers
who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
One of the characteristics of a wise Christian is righteousness. Being righteous involves growth. If we are to bear visible fruits of righteousness before the world, we must grow from the seed stage. It doesn’t mean we are always going to get it right because we aren’t perfect. Instead, using Jesus Christ as our example, we strive to be better every day and when we backslide -- which we will – we ask for forgiveness, we make amends, and learn from our mistakes.
The question we need to ask ourselves is what kind of wisdom characterizes our
life?
Is it a false wisdom that’s selfish, ego-centered, and inconsiderate toward others?
Or is it a wisdom existing in you because Jesus Christ, the essence of true wisdom, lives in you? We must always seek wisdom that is born of God.
Sometimes in life we are dead right, but at the same time we are dead wrong in
how we react to others. We need to remember and live by: What Would Jesus Do?
Today is the 4th of July when we celebrate our independence. With all that’s
going on in this country, it’s clear there is a lot of false wisdom being
applied to decisions being made and action being taken throughout the highest
levels of government and throughout all corners of the population. We as
Christians need to be bold in telling our truth but do so in a way that reflects
the characteristics of the true wisdom that comes only from God. If enough of us
do this, we can and will make a difference in the direction that we as a nation
are going.
May God bless you all and may God bless this country again.
Sunday June 27th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
The Tongue Is a Terror
All too often we get ourselves in trouble with things we say. Continuing
with Pastor Don’s studies in James, today we’re going to look at the Tongue as a
Terror. Our text this morning is James 3:1-12.
James had a great deal to say about the tongue. So much so, he devoted an entire
section of his letter to it. Yet he wasn’t introducing a new concept. He spoke
about the tongue earlier when he warned in chapter 1 verse 19: we should
be swift to hear and slow to speak. He went on in
chapter 1 verse 26 to “bridle our tongue” suggesting that we have the
tendency to run ahead of our thoughts.
Even though there are many references to the tongue throughout the Bible (see Prov. 13:3; 18:21; 21:23; Psalm. 34:13; 39:1), James wrote more strongly about its dangers than any other Bible writer.
In chapter 3 verses 2-5 James spoke of the
power of the tongue from the standpoint of both evil and good when he wrote, “(2)
For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in work, he is a
perfect man, able to also to bridle the whole body. (3 ) Indeed, we put
bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
(4) Look also at ships; although they are so large and are driven by fierce
winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. (5)
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great
a forest a little fire kindles!”
James gives three illustrations to prove the power of the tongue. First, in
verse 3, he drew a parallel between the
horse and the human body. A horse, unrestrained, seeks to satisfy its physical
needs. It’s an illogical being. If it’s to accomplish anything useful, anything
not merely for the satisfaction of its own desires, it must be directed by a
logical being, a thinking person. It’s the same with the human body. When humans
direct themselves, they seek the satisfaction of self instead of seeking the
glory of God, which is the specific purpose for which they were created.
What do we do to harness a horse? We use a bit and bridle. By controlling its tongue, we can control the whole body. The horse doesn’t bridle itself—it must be bridled by someone else. Likewise, people can’t control themselves. They must defer to a greater power.
In the second illustration James used great ships. He didn’t know anything about
the ocean-going vessels of today, but even in his day there were ships that
could be described as great. How were the movements of these great vessels
controlled, even under the most adverse conditions? By a very small rudder
wherever the will of the pilot directs.
The point of these first two illustrations is made in verse 5: “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. In relation to the other members of the body, the tongue is little; but it can achieve great results.
This isn’t just words. The tongue can sway people to violence
or move them to the highest and noblest action.
Fire is used in the third illustration. Verse 5
tells us that a great forest is set ablaze by a small fire. James contrasted
how the smallness of a spark can bring about a huge destructive fire.
We see in verses 6-8 the vicious nature of the tongue: “(6)And the
tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: The tongue is so set among our members
that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is
set on fire by hell. (7) For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and
creature of the sea, is tame and has been tamed by mankind. (8)But no man
can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
James said that “the tongue is a fire.” We know that controlled fire can be a
great blessing. People can overcome the cold, cook their food, and drive the
engines of industry. But fire out of control leaves desolation and tragedy in
its wake. So, the tongue, like fire out of control, also scorches and consumes!
He then said that the tongue is “a world of iniquity.” The word world is
translated to cosmos also means “ornament” or “decoration.” The good and
sanctified tongue will condemn unrighteousness, but the evil tongue will
complement and “decorate” it, making it appear as if it were righteous. James
concluded this metaphor by saying that the tongue that does this “is set on fire
by hell.” Meaning, the uncontrolled fire of the tongue is fed by the never-dying
flames of hell.
Then he goes on to say the tongue is wild and untamable. A person may control the tongue, but it must always be kept under careful guard; and the guard can never be let down.
Finally, James spoke of the inconsistency of the tongue in
verses 9–12: “(9)With it we bless our God and Father, and with
it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. (10) Out of
the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not
to be so. (11)Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the
same opening? (12)Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a
grapevine bear figs? Thus, no spring yields both salt water and fresh.”
He’s telling us that the tongue is notoriously inconsistent. With it we bless
God and curse others who are made in God’s image, and it’s abnormal and
inappropriate to bless God in prayer and praise yet speak evil of members of
God’s family.
This inconsistency is illustrated in verses 11-12
with two figures drawn from nature. The first is a fountain of water where he
asks if it’s possible for a “salt spring to produce fresh water. Then the second
concerns fruit. Can a fig tree . . . yield olives, or a grapevine figs? The
answer to both is No because the laws of nature demand that like produces like.
An unbeliever hired a professing Christian to paint his house. He knew that this
Christian could pray beautiful prayers and could quote a great deal of
Scripture. But when it came to painting, he didn’t fill the nail holes with
putty like he was supposed to, and he didn’t paint the tops of the doors where
no one could see them. The unbeliever later said, “Now I know that his
prayers and his piety don’t mean much. I prefer Christians who will fill up the
nail holes and paint the tops of the doors!”
In other words, what we say must be backed up with our actions.
So, in this short passage, James gives us a beautifully clear lesson of how
dangerous our tongues can be. I have no doubt that each one of us can look at
our lives and find many instances where we have gotten ourselves into trouble
because we failed to control our tongues. As Christians saves by God’s grace, we
have a duty to do our best to control our tongues. And there will be times when
it’s extremely hard to do.
Are we always going to be successful? Of course not.
We are fallen sinners forgiven by grace. But we must be ever mindful that what comes out of our mouths can be the difference between salvation or eternal damnation for an unbeliever. And when we look at it in those terms, it should make us try harder to control how we use our tongue.
Sunday June 20th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared Pastor Donald Magaw
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Title: When Faith Is
Alive
Text: “What does it profit, my brethren,
if a man says he has faith but has not works?
Can his faith save him? . . .
Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead”
(James 2:14, 17
RSV).
Scripture Reading: James 2:14–26
Someone has said that faith is like calories:
you can’t see them, but you can see their results.
Today we study a section of James’s letter that is probably the most
misunderstood passage in the entire letter.
Some see this passage as a contradiction of Paul’s teaching concerning the way
of salvation.
But when the teachings of both Paul and James are understood properly,
there is no conflict.
Three things must be kept in mind as we study these verses.
The situations presented by James were entirely different from those presented
by Paul.
Paul had in mind those who denied the doctrine of salvation by grace through
faith and insisted on ceremonial works,
whereas
James was saying that true faith expresses itself in deeds.
Paul was talking about the way of salvation,
and James was talking about the life of a person after he or she has been saved.
While Paul and James used many of the same words,
they put different meanings into them.
By “works” Paul meant works of the Jewish law ceremonies and rituals.
For James, “works” were works of love, proof that faith was alive and real.
James takes up the topic of work in detail in the second part of chapter 2.
When discussing work, he invariably uses the plural “works” (Greek
ergo) rather than the singular “work” (Greek
ergon).
This leads some to suppose that James
uses “works” to mean something different from “work.”
However, erga and ergon are simply plural and singular forms of the same
word.[1]
James is describing any kind of work, from works of kindness, such as giving
food to someone who is hungry, to on-the-job work, such as increasing the
sustainable yield of rice paddies. His use of the plural shows that he expects
Christians’ work to be continual.
James’s intention was not to contrast two opposing methods of salvation.
His intention was to show two kinds of faith one genuine and the other false,
one alive and the other dead.
James said that true faith produces (2:14–17).
14 What doth it profit, my brethren,
though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?
can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them,
Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what doth it profit?
He tried to show that things such as mental agreement,
or saying we accept Christ, do not mean much unless
they are proved by the fruits of faith at work.
Almost with an air of disgust,
James said, in essence, “What good is faith without works?
Does it help anyone?”
Note that James did not write, “If a man has faith,”
but
“If a man says he has faith.”
Repeat:
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and
have not works?
John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, had a character named Talkative,
and of that character he said, “Religion has no place in his heart, or house or
conduct;
all he has lies in his tongue,
and his religion is just something to make a noise with.”
This is the kind of
person James was describing.
Note the statement, “Can faith save him?” (v. 14).
An ad-jective is implied that does not appear in the wording here.
It is better read, “Can that faith save him?”
The reference is to that false,
fruitless faith.. James had just described.
James’s theme is that true faith is alive (2:18–20).
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith,
and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works,
and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well:
the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead?
This is another difficult area of the epistle.
James seems to have been dramatizing here, as he often did in this epistle.
He felt so certain of what he was saying about faith and works
that he saw an imaginary man rising in support
of what he had been saying.
This man turned to the one in the assembly.. who made a profession of faith..
but did not prove it by works.
This may well have been the man James described in the preceding illustration,
who had said to the cold and hungry, “Be ye warmed and filled”
(2:16). With righteous indignation, the first man burst out,
“You hypocrite! Of what use are your long prayers, of what use is your
profession of faith, since you just had the opportunity to practice it and
failed to do so?”
What is the principle here?
Faith is something that dwells in the deepest recesses of the heart, and
only God can see it.
Others can only see the outward appearance.
But if there is faith deep in the heart, it cannot but manifest itself in
outward expression.
Ralph Erskine, a great Scottish preacher of the seventeenth century, used to
say,
“Faith and works are the two feet with which a man walks in Christ.”
One without the other produces a spiritual cripple.
James showed a bit of “sanctified wit” (v. 19).
In spite of the fact that demons are afraid of God, they do not obey him.
Fear can never inspire obedience that pleases God.
Much so-called religion today is prompted by a slavish fear.
If we try to obey and serve God out of this kind of fear, ...our obedience and
service will never be accepted.
James said that true faith produces obedience (2:21–26).
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou
..how faith wrought with his works,
and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the
scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then
how that by works- a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also
was not Rahab the harlot justified by works,
when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is
dead also.
James was not teaching that Abraham’s justification or “acquittal” before God -
depended on his works to the exclusion of faith.
He was not even saying that his justification depended on works in addition to
faith.
He was saying that one’s justification before God is simply by faith, but it is
the kind of faith that moves the heart and regulates the life; it is a
faith that does not lie dormant but manifests itself in active obedience.
For his second illustration,
James chose Rahab, who was as far removed from Abraham as night is from day.
James insisted that her experience with God teaches the same lesson as that
taught by Abraham’s experience.
James 2:26
Just as the body without the life-giving spirit is dead, so faith, which is
a mere shell of profession if it is void of fruit,
is dead also (v. 26).
This kind of fruitless faith brings no glory to God
and yields no benefit to the person who has it.
What James was saying is that the union between faith and works is as close
as the union between body and soul.
James gives us instruction to act with mercy.
So whatever you do and whatever you say, let it be done with love and mercy.
Sunday June 13th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared and Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
THOSE WHO PLEASE GOD
This morning’s message was prepared by Pastor Don, and he invited me to
share it with you this morning. It comes from the book of
James 2:1-13.
James was the brother of our Lord Jesus, who became the head of the first
Christian church. Remember even the family of Jesus at first rejected Him as the
Messiah. But then he was converted by the risen Jesus. James wrote this epistle
to the twelve tribes of Israel, which, at the time were scattered throughout the
known world. His focus was on Christian living and his writings certainly apply
to us today.
This epistle is considered the most practical treatise in all Holy Scripture.
James made no attempt to teach theology; he left that to others. Being a pastor,
dealing with individuals’ day after day, he was far more concerned with the
application and expression of the Christian faith. In many respects, this second
chapter may be considered the heart of James’s message, for in it he gives a
description of the character of faith. He shows that the expression of this kind
of faith is that which pleases God in our lives.
Let’s examine the
precept that James set forth in Chapter 2:1 where he writes: “My
brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory,
with partiality.”
Probably the most common sin among believers is the sin James spelled out in
this passage – that of showing favoritism, or partiality. In fact, it is such a
common practice that we often allow it to exist without our consciences even
bothering us about it. But James was telling us is, “Don’t hold to the Christian
faith—which sees every believer saved by grace through faith, not of works—and
at the same time practice discrimination between different classes of people in
the fellowship. For this is a shameful demonstration of hypocrisy!”
Because we can’t know
everything there is to know about a person, we cannot possibly judge a person
correctly. This truth was driven home in Acts 10:34
when Peter at Cornelius’s house. He had resented the mission God had
given to him—to go and preach to Gentiles—yet when he saw what God had made
happen among them, he declared, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter
of persons.” God doesn’t care about race, nationality, income or education
levels. All He cares about is the condition of the human heart.
James spoke of having “the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and he drew a
comparison between that and our having “respect of persons.” In essence he was
saying, “Let there be agreement between what you profess has taken place on the
inside and what you express on the outside.” James was simply reiterating the
general theme of his epistle espressed in chapter 1:22:
“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” shown in chapter.
Note that James called Jesus “the Lord of glory.” Jesus Christ should always be
the glory of every believer. As we observe our fellow believers and are tempted
to criticize and discriminate between them, we must remember that within every
believer is the glory of God in Jesus Christ. It’s the same glory, and before
God there is no partiality shown.
Second, let’s consider an illustration of this precept He writes in
2:2–4: “For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring,
in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; (3)
and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, sit
thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, stand thou there, or sit here
under my footstool; (4) are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are
become judges of evil thoughts?”
James paints a picture of two men coming into the church. One was a rich man,
finely and elaborately dressed, and the other was a poor man, dressed in keeping
with his meager means. Then James showed, hypothetically, how we might treat
these two worshipers in the church assembly. From the descriptions of the men
given, it’s unlikely that either was a believer. Yet when they arrived, the
richly dressed man was shown great respect, not because of his true worth but
because of his outward appearance of wealth and position. In contrast, the poor
man was treated harshly, with no warmth or compassion.
We see his application in verse 4. “Have you not partiality among
yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” He was saying that it’s wrong
to honor the rich at the expense of the poor. Both stand on the same level
before God and should be treated accordingly.
James said two things about those who practice partiality. They have made
distinctions among themselves. In other words, they’re at odds with themselves.
There’s a wide difference between profession and practice. And he calls them “
judges with evil thoughts.” This is a serious charge against any professing
believer who shows partiality or respect of persons.
Third, James shows us in verses 5 through 11 why having respect of persons is
sinful. The principle stated in verse 5 is
simple: “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of
the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” This shows us three
blessings that God has bestowed on the poor: They’re chosen of God; God chose
them through His Spirit, convicted them of sin; and He drew them with love
toward Himself.
God has made the poor “rich in faith.” Their wealth does not consist of gold
rings or fine apparel. It is found in faith. James said they’re “heirs of the
kingdom.” They possess and have become a part of the kingdom of God.
Then James became practical. He writes in verse 6:
“Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment
seats?” And not only that, but the rich were those who most often blasphemed the
name of Jesus. Of course, this was not a blanket condemnation of all rich
people. Some wealthy people in the early church were generous and faithful
servants of God, just as they are today. But overall, this was not the case.
The overarching principal James is speaking of is that partiality is a violation
of the royal law of God. We see in chapter 2:8-9 “If ye fulfil the royal
law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do
well: but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted of the
law as transgressors.” Respect of persons is showing partiality and James tells
us that’s a sin. And “royal law” is the law of love expressed in the command
“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Why “royal”? Perhaps because Christ,
the true King, is its disseminator.
Verses 12 and 13 are the conclusion of this passage with an appeal and a
warning: “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of
liberty.” The appeal is that obedience to the royal law be expressed both in
speech and action. The warning in verse 13
“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy
rejoiceth against judgment.” We are warned that those who show no mercy will
find none at God’s judgment.
So how do we please God? By showing mercy and love to all people regardless of
their station in life. We must be careful never to make assumptions about anyone
as we don’t know what they’re dealing in their life. So rather than trying to
figure out what we can’t possibly know, it’s better to treat all people the same
and loves them as we have been instructed by Jesus.
Sunday June 6th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared and Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Agree With God
Contributed by Marilyn Murphree
Scripture: Job 22:21-25, Amos 3:3
We often say things that overrule what God has said and then we wonder why
our prayers are not answered.
He tells us
he is the Lord that healeth us
and we disagree
because we still have pain in our body
and do not feel we are healed.
We Need To
Agree with God
Job 22:21-25 NLT
21 “Submit to God,
and you will have peace;
then things will go well for you.
22 Listen to his instructions,
and store them in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty,
you will be restored—
so clean up your life.
24 If you give up your lust for money
and throw your precious gold into the river,
25 the Almighty himself will be your treasure.
He will be your precious silver!
We often say things that overrule what God has said about things
and then we wonder why our prayers are not answered.
We think God is ignoring us
when He has already spoken on a number of subjects.
For example, He says, “I am the Lord that healeth thee” but we disagree
because we still have pain in our body
and do not feel healed.
We are quick to remind God
of how much we hurt
but ask for the same thing over and over again.
He says, “I am the Lord that healeth thee”
and we continue
to insist that we are not healed.
We are not any better at all.
Scripture tells us,
1 Peter 2:24 NLT
24 He personally carried our sins
in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
and live for what is right.
By his wounds you are healed.
“By his stripes we are healed” in Isaiah during the atonement on the cross..
and we were healed in
I Peter 2:24.
We still insist,
“No, I’m not healed yet.
Maybe some day if it is His will.”
We look at circumstances with our natural eyes
and continue to disagree
with what God
has
already said.
Matthew 18:19-20 NLT
19 “I also tell you this:
If two of you agree here on earth
concerning anything you ask,
my Father in heaven
will do it for you.
20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among
them.”
Apparently Jesus had reminded his disciples of this before because he said,
“again I say unto you…”
How quickly they forgot.
He told them
once again
two agree about things
and
God would do it.
Maybe it is just in our nature
to argue about things
and say, “No, Sir,
that’s not the way things are for me.
I am not healed, I still hurt,
and I don’t know
if it is ...for me.”
We make it too hard on ourselves all the time.
A verse in Job 22:21-25 NLT
21 “Submit to God, and you will have peace;
then things will go well for you.
22 Listen to his instructions,
and store them in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored—
so clean up your life.
24 If you give up your lust for money
and throw your precious gold into the river,
25 the Almighty himself will be your treasure.
He will be your precious silver!
What is the good we are looking for?
One thing is that
we don’t continue to hurt—
that the Healer has come
... like He said He would.
“I am the Lord that healeth thee.”
Why can’t we just say,
“OK,” Lord, I believe it and I take it.
I believe we need to strengthen our knowledge
about what God has already said to us
so that we won’t waver
on whether we can
rely on it or not.
Psalm 119:160
"The very essence of your words is truth;
all your just regulations
will stand forever."
We must firmly believe that ...
and that “God is not a man that he should lie”
(Numbers 23:19) NLT
19 God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human,
so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised
and not
carried it through?
Do we firmly believe that
or
do we sometimes believe it
and sometimes ...
not
depending on the circumstances?
(Hebrews 10:35) NLT
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great
reward it brings you!
Agree with God.
Learn to not only stand firmly
on the promises of God
but
make a demand on them
and
expect them to happen.
Another scripture that often comes to mind is
Amos 3:3
“How can two walk together unless they be agreed?”
Remember this verse in the last Sermon a few weeks ago?
Walking together means FORWARD Motion if they agree.. If two can NOT walk
together in agreement,
There is lack of forward progress!
We think of two people walking together in agreement
but
Jesus called his disciples - friends.
We are walking hand in hand with him
as our friend
and in perfect harmony
with HIM..
Agree with God on what He has said
in HIS Word
To US.
It is reliable.
......................................................................
(Psalm 119:89-96)
89 Your eternal word, O Lord,
stands firm in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness
extends to every generation,
as enduring
as the earth you created.
91 Your regulations
remain true to this day,
for everything
serves your plans.
92 If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy,
I would have died
in my misery.
93 I will never forget your commandments,
for by them
you give me life.
94 I am yours; rescue me!
For I have worked hard
at obeying
your commandments.
95 Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,
I will quietly
keep my mind on your laws.
96 Even perfection has its limits,
but
your commands have no limit.
We can be assured
that the power of the Lord
was present to heal in Bible days
are also just
as
revelant today?
Scripture tells us (Hebrews 13:8).
that the power of the Lord
was present to heal and that
if it was ...then
it still... is today
“Jesus Christ is the Same, Yesterday, Today and Forever."
Get rid of the “yeh buts”
that disqualify us
from receiving
what He has for us.
You see:
We MISS OUT
on the blessings along the way
when we question His Word
or His guiding Presence.
Learn to say, “Lord I believe what you are telling me.
( loud )
I receive it NOW.”
All of us have some things in our life
that need to be
removed.
We must exercise our authority
over negative things, especially our words.
We need to SAY, Think and SPEAK
I am not going to disagree
with
God today.
My words are going to be
in alignment with what God says,
and
(loud and firm)
I‘m going to speak them OUT LOUD.
“I agree with You
that the power of God
is in my body
to drive out
sickness and disease.
The power of God
is PRESENT
to Heal Me.
I agree with you Lord.
I expect to see
sickness and disease
leave my body
in the Name
of
Jesus.
We can make Revelation 12:11 NLT our
scripture.
11 And they have defeated him
by the blood of the Lamb
and
by their testimony.
And they did not
love their lives
so much
that they were afraid
to die.
I AM Overcome as well
By the blood of the Lamb
Jesus Christ our Lord
and
the word
of my testimony.
Brothers and Sisters,
We Are Family,
The Family of God.
Today
TRUST Jesus
Trust in the Lord with All thine heart,
and lean NOT
unto thine own unerstanding.
Lean Not Unto Our Own Understanding
In ALL thy ways
Ackknowledge HIM,
and
HE WILL / Shall Direct
Thy Path.
...................................
Conclusion
..................................
Now unto him
who is able to keep YOU from falling,
and to present you FAULTLESS
BEFORE the presence of HIS glory
with exceeding JOY.
To the ONLY wise God
our Saviour,
Be Glory and Majesty,
Dominion and Power,
Both NOW
and FOREVER.
AMEN
Sunday May 30th 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Wanda Wohlin
Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
GOD’S GIFT OF GRACE
This morning I’d like to talk to you about God’s gift of grace. Our text is Ephesians 2:1-10. Grace is a precious word to Christians that refers to the underserved favor of God, extended to us free of charge, even though we have no natural right to it and can never earn it on our own merits. When we understand its meaning, we see that grace is at the very heart what Jesus has done to offer us salvation. Jesus died for our sins so that we could be right with God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 best expresses the concept of
God’s Grace: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
ourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” We
have been saved by grace. Forgiveness of our sins, salvation, and reconciliation
with God come to us as a gift. We can’t earn it through good works or good
behavior. It’s given to us through faith.
Little wonder these verses are special to followers of Jesus. Millions of us
have memorized them, keeping their precious, life giving, encouraging words
close to our hearts. So, let’s explore how these verses fit into Paul’s message
of grace. In their immediate context, they take on even greater significance and
meaning because they provide the inevitable and joyous conclusion to the
argument that begins the Chapter.
Ephesians 2 begins rather bleakly. Verses 1 and 2 say: “(1) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, (2) In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” Paul tells us we’re dead in our sins. He doesn’t mean that we were physically dead without knowing it – he means we’re spiritually dead because of our transgressions and sins. A transgression is a type of sin that involves breaking a rule. Sin refers to our rebellion against God, whether through transgressions or not. Humanity instinctively rejects God. It’s a natural inclination expressed through words, deeds, and attitudes. We need to appreciate the significance of being dead -- physically or spiritually. If we’re physically dead, we can’t do anything. We’re dead! Lying in the coffin, six feet underground means our story is over. It’s too late to fix the things we’ve done wrong. We can’t apologize to those we’ve offended, can’t mend broken relationships with family or friends, and it’s too late to undo all our regrets.
To be spiritually dead means to be completely cut off from God. We can’t reach out to Him, can’t fix the things we’ve done that offended Him, nor can we apologize for rebelling against Him, for pretending He doesn’t exist, and for living as though we’re God.
So, we see in verse 1 that dead people can’t make things right. Any solution to our deadness must come from somewhere other than ourselves. After telling us that we’re dead in our sins, Paul goes on in verse 2 to tell us that we’re dead in our sins in which we once walked. Walking was a common Jewish way of speaking about the conduct of life. For example, to walk in peace means to conduct ourselves in a peaceful way. So, Paul says that, though dead, we used to live in sinful ways. In other words, we’re the zombies in the Bible!
Verse 2 also tells us that as walking dead we’re not just out for a stroll as though we have freedom to do whatever we want. In fact, zombies follow two leaders: the ways of the world, and the ruler of the kingdom of the air.
Following the ways of this world means to live by the world’s values and ideals. Just like zombies, the walking dead are mindless followers of the world around them. They aren’t rebels against the status quo, they don’t question values forced on them, and they don’t look for a better way. The walking dead also follow the ruler of the kingdom of the air. Paul doesn’t name this spirit, but the most obvious candidate is Satan himself. The world often treats Satan as a joke, but he’s not a fun-loving, naughty little guy with red horns and a tail. It’s easy to dismiss him as a silly idea when we see him in this way. Satan’s greatest trick is to convince us that he doesn’t exist. Satan is an evil spiritual being who is real and dangerous. He’s the zombies’ puppet master as they mindlessly follow his directions and the ways of the world.
Lest we get the impression that Paul is speaking in a judgmental way about the zombie-like walking dead, he gets a little more specific with exactly who these zombies are in verse 3: ”Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” All people – you, me, even Paul – are or were at one time one of these walking dead.
Another thing to notice in verse 3 is that the walking dead are characterized as gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Christians used to live according to our appetites. Whatever we craved and desired mentally, materially, and physically is what we would try to get. Self-gratification was our highest pursuit.
Putting all this together, we see that living according to self-gratification is following the world and Satan. We might think that we’re not hurting anyone by chasing after our desires and cravings, but it makes us one more cog in the wheel of a world that turns its back on God. And we don’t notice that living this way is just what Satan want us to do.
The world tries to tell us that “freedom” is being able to do whatever we want: chasing after our desires, gratifying our cravings, simply doing whatever makes us feel good -- but this is a lie. The world’s freedom is no freedom all. Rather it’s the slavish following of Satan.
Finally, Paul adds in verse 3 that we, like the rest of the world, were by nature, deserving of wrath. Left in our natural state, we deserve nothing less than the consequences of rebellion against our Creator. Mindless, self-gratifying, Satan-following, world-pleasing, spiritual zombies deserve to face the wrath of God. Ephesians 2 does indeed begin with a bleak picture but thank God, it doesn’t leave us there!
Paul says in verses 4-5: “(4)But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loves us, (5) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” While we were self-gratifying, spiritual zombies, God loved us. Yes, loved us!
Because of His mercy and out of His great love for us, God did what all the heroes of the zombie movies try to do. He provided the cure for the zombie plague. God made us alive with Christ. Dead in our sins, unable to change our situation, God took action to bring us to life. And as Paul says, we’re saved by grace. We can’t claim any credit for making ourselves alive. Dead people can’t do that. Our changed situation is due only to God’s gift, which is what grace means.
Paul continues in verse 6: “and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Paul says that we’re made alive, raised, and seated with Christ. We share in the key events of Christ’s experience. Theologians call it participation with Christ. Our trust in Jesus connects us to Him, so that His death becomes our death, His resurrection becomes our resurrection, and His ascension become our ascension.
Participation with Christ is a concept that Paul uses throughout his many letters in the New Testament. Our connection to Christ is spiritual. Paul doesn’t mean we physically died with Jesus or were physically raised with Him; he means that our spiritual selves become connected to Jesus and go with Him through death and resurrection. This is why Paul can say that our old person has been put to death and a new one now exists in its place. This isn’t an exaggeration or a metaphor; it’s spiritually true.
Our participation with Jesus as like hitching our wagon to His. Wherever He goes, we go. He pulls us along – through death, into new life, and ultimately into Heaven itself. We don’t deserve to receive resurrection life, but we’re granted it because our wagon is hitched to Jesus. We don’t deserve to live in Heaven with Him, but we can because we participate with Him. We share His achievement.
We have been invited to share in the achievements of Jesus! We have no natural right to share in them, except that we have been invited to do so. That’s participation with Christ.
And this invitation leads us to marvel at God’s incredible goodness seen in Verse 7: “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Seated in heaven with Jesus, we see the incomparable riches of God’s grace. He showed us grace so that He can show us more grace!
We were dead. We were blind followers of the world, rejecting God and His good purposes for us. But God raised us up from spiritual death and gave us new life with Jesus. His grace is indeed magnificent. And that’s incredible!
Now we come to the verses many have committed to memory. In 8 and 9 we read: “(8)For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9)not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Having worked through Ephesians 2:1-7, we can now see how these two verses fit in. They’re simply the inevitable conclusion of the argument Paul has been making since verse 1. We’re saved by grace because we were spiritually dead – unable to save ourselves – and God made us alive because of His mercy. Because of His great love for us. Certainly not because we impressed Him. Not because we earned it. Not because we were especially attractive zombies. We were saved purely by grace. This is the gift of God. We’re not saved by works, or by anything we have done, or by any merit of our own.
But what exactly does “grace” mean? It’s best expressed at the end of verse 8: it is the gift of God. Grace is pure gift. But sometimes our understanding of gift giving doesn’t offer the best picture of grace. We often give gifts out of expectation. If it’s a birthday, you may feel obliged to give a birthday present. Or think about Christmas. An expression sometimes used – “the exchange of gifts.” If gifts are exchanged, are they really gifts? Isn’t it just an exchange? Aren’t we simply swapping our stuff? It’s why we feel embarrassed if someone give us a Christmas gift, but we didn’t get that person anything. That shows there’s an expectation to exchange gifts.
Consider a gift that someone gave you for no apparent reason. You say, “Why are you doing this, it’s not my birthday, it’s not Christmas, I haven’t just graduated?” The answer is simply, “Because I love you.”
That’s the grace of God. Salvation isn’t given to us out of expectation, it’s not exchanged for something else – it’s a pure gift. Why? Because He loves us.
The gift of salvation is truly spectacular. Rather than receiving the wrath we deserve, our sins are forgiven. We’re adopted and brought into God’s family to be His children. We receive eternal life in perfect peace, joy, and love together with Him. For all eternity we will enjoy being in His presence, rejoicing, and giving Him thanks. It will be a life without sin, trouble, and hardship, and without suffering and pain. And our salvation brings a multitude of blessings for this life too. We know God and are known by Him. We instantly become part of a worldwide family. Our identity is transformed from being dependent on achievement, success, the praise of others, money, and status to being grounded in Christ. Truly the gift of God is remarkable and precious.
But you may know all that perfectly well. You may be quite familiar with the teaching of salvation by grace through faith. You know you aren’t saved by your works or by anything you contribute. You understand what the give of God is. And yet sometimes we can have knowledge of a certain truth, but that truth has yet to sink in. It hasn’t yet permeated down to our core. It’s in our head, but not our heart. Can you relate to that?
Some believers know that salvation is by grace. They may have even shared that message with others. But if they’re honest, they recognize that deep down there’s a part of them that’s still depending on their good deeds to be right with God. They still hope to impress God with their goodness. And really hope that they’re good enough for God. What they know intellectually and how they live their lives don’t match. The evidence demonstrated that what they really believe is that they must do something to impress God, to either earn or repay their salvation.
While we can know something to be true, sometimes we don’t know it truly. It can take a while to really sink in. We may know it intellectually, but we have yet to accept it. We haven’t yet allowed the truth to shape us at the core of our being. God loves us! He really loves us! And because of His love, we are saved by grace! The burden of trying to be good enough for God was finally lifted from our shoulders.
Being saved by grace through the gift of God and not by our own works is no basis for boasting. No Christian can be proud of their salvation. In fact, every single human being stands guilty before God. No matter what we may have done – whether we’re law-abiding citizens who pay their taxes and are generally nice people, or convicted criminals serving a sentence for armed robbery – we’re all in the same boat before God. Guilty. Even the friendliest, most compassionate, and honest person can’t boast before God. All are humbled by God’s grace since it confirms the reality outlined in verses 1-3. Before we received God’s grace, we were mindless zombies under the control of Satan. Only fools boast of their own goodness!
Rather than being about our impressive performance, or our “nice guy” credentials, his is all about what God has done. In verse 10 Paul says: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
He says we’re God’s handiwork. We’re the result of God’s work. This is a deliberate turnaround from discussing our works. Salvation can’t be earned by our works. Our salvation is the work of God. God’s the one who raised us from the dead with Jesus. God raised us up to be seated in heaven with Jesus. God saved us by grace. We’re God’s handiwork.
Paul also says we’re created in Christ Jesus to do good works. So far in our text, all the discussion about our works has been negative: we aren’t saved by works, our deeds were transgressions and sins, and we lived to gratify the craving of our flesh. But in verse 10 we see that God wants us to do good works.
Why affirm the value of good works now? The text has been careful to say that our works don’t save us. Paul meticulously demonstrated that they have been pushed to one side. Why now suggest that works are part of the equation?
The answer has to do with the placement of verse10 in the argument. Now that Paul has made it abundantly clear that we’re not saved by our works, we can address the right place for them. They aren’t for salvation, yet good works matter. Once we accept Jesus, we’re able to live in a way that pleases God which wasn’t possible while we were mindless zombies, obedient to Satan and trapped by our own desires. But now that God has made us alive with Jesus and saved us by His grace, we have become new creations. We no longer belong to the evil powers that held us. We belong to Jesus.
Belonging to Jesus means we can live in a way that pleases God. Our works can be good. Believers should look to please God in the way that we live. We should strive to serve God. We should consider how we’re acting in this life. We should seek out the good works that God has prepared for us to do.
In fact, when Paul says we have been “created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand” he’s saying we’re created to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to walk in. We come back to walking. We see this contrast of 2 types of walking in verses 2 and 10. Verse 2 the spiritually dead walk in their sins and trespasses. Verse 10 is the walk of the spiritually alive, who walk in good deeds please to God. All humans will walk one way or the other – like zombies or in the way of Christ.
One encouraging aspect of walking this new way is that God has already planned the good deeds He in which He wants us to walk. Does it mean that God has planned every good deed for every Christian? Or does it mean that God has planned the good deeds in general that His people as a group will walk in? It’s both. Throughout the Bible, God’s plans and actions show a concern for the one and the many. He cares for the group and the individual. You can’t have a group without individuals. The one and the many go together. So, God planned a way (in general) for us as a group to walk in. As members of that group, we each will walk in the particular good deeds God has prepared for us. We all have different God-given abilities that we can use for Him in good ways.
This means that even our good deeds are given to us by God. He doesn’t just save us by grace then leave us to our own devices. We’re saved by grace, and we live by grace. God plans the good He wants us to do, and He enables us to do it. This is most encouraging. We don’t need to beat ourselves up for not doing enough good in the world. Nor do we need to worry about whether we’re doing the right good things. God has arranged the good deeds we will do, and we should take comfort in that. He is in the driver’s seat; all we need do is trust where He takes us!
When we fully understand God’s grace, it changes our lives. But to understand His grace, we must first understand the depth of our sin and our complete spiritual deadness prior to receiving God’s grace. Only then can we appreciate that being made alive with Jesus is an act of pure grace. It’s the sheer gift of God that He raises the dead and gives us new life. We have been made new, no longer trapped by the world and Satan to mindlessly walk in rebellion against God. We now belong to Him, having been seated in His very presence in heaven.
Being alive with Jesus, we’re able to walk in a way that pleases God. We have been created for good works and can walk in the deeds He has prepared for us to do – not to gain our salvation, but because we’re saved by grace.
When we understand this, nothing can remine the same. The burden of sin and guilt has been lifted, our feelings of inadequacy are ended, and we can rest secure in the overwhelming love of God and in His abundant mercy. We now know the true freedom of God’s grace.
Sunday May 23rd, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared and Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Summary: In this message as we look at the life of the prophet Jeremiah, we will learn some powerful truths that will help us to keep going when we feel like giving up.
How To Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up
Contributed By: Steve Malone
Let's start off with 2 passages of scripture that have been some of my favorites for Years.
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Have you ever felt like giving up?
Have you ever felt like quitting?
Have you ever felt like throwing up your hands and tossing in the towel and saying;
I mean you’re making little if any progress, you’re spinning your wheels, you’re not getting anywhere. You’re tired, Worn Out, Weary and Frustrated.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been there and done that..
Romans 15:4
‘Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises.
This morning we are going to be looking at yet another Old Testament guy, Jeremiah…
The prophet, NOT The Bullfrog.
A guy who keeps going even when he felt like giving up.
Jeremiah has been one of my mentors, a person that I have both looked up to and have often felt a kindred spirit with for years. He’s one of my heroes. I mean many times in my life during the last 30 years, there has been occasions when life was kind of tough, and I felt like...why bother, I might us well just tap out.
It's then I would grab; my pen, my bible, and crack open words written by this prophet of God over 2,500 years ago. And each time God has used Jeremiah to speak straight to my heart.
The goal this morning is two-fold
FIRST & FOREMOST - To lift up our awesome and mighty God…
AND SECOND – My hope that something shared today (a word, a thought, a phrase, whatever) will help someone here who feels like quitting. Now before we talk about Jeremiahs reasons for quitting. I think it would be a good idea to kind of summarize a little OT (Old Testament) history, so that we will all understand the HISTORICAL context that Jeremiah is writing from.
In Genesis 12, God calls on Abraham to leave his country and follow Him, and become the father of a New Nation. Abraham does that and he has a son named Isaac, and Isaac has a son named Jacob. And they all lived in tents for a couple hundred years waiting to get this NEW land..
Now during the times of Jacob there is a famine in the land which caused Jacob to take his family to live in Egypt. Which worked out well, because God had providentially placed Joseph one of Jacob’s sons as second in charge of all of Egypt. So God’s people live in Egypt, and they do pretty good for awhile, but after a brief period of time (a Pharaoh comes onto the scene who does not know Joseph) and he makes the Hebrews slaves. And they would be slaves for 400 years. Until Moses comes along and through the POWER of God deliverers the people from slavery.
After Israel leaves Egypt, after they walk through the parted waters of the Red Sea. They camp on the east side of the Jordan River. Now God wants the people to go into the promise land and take possession of it. But there is a glitch to this plan the people who live there are huge, the cities well fortified and the people heavy armed.
But /Later– God’s people chicken out, because they have No faith in God… And this lack of faith causes them to wander in the desert for 40 years.
40 years later they get another chance. And before they go into the land, Moses says to them.
Dt 30:15-20
"Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death. I have commanded you today to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, laws, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and become a great nation, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to Enter and Occupy. But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.
"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live! Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life then you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
So after this Joshua takes the baton of leadership from Moses, and crosses the Jordan and in 27 years conquers the promise land.
So now God’s people are finally living in the land God promised to Abraham 600 years earlier.
Eventually in this land they get a king. His name is Saul, Saul starts out good and ends up really bad.
And the next king is David. After being king for 40 years David dies and his son Solomon takes the throne. Where David fought and won many battles for the Lord. Solomon builds the Temple of the Lord.
When Solomon dies his son Rehoboam becomes the New King… and this is where things for God’s people start to go downhill fast.
You see right after he became king (Rehoboam ) a bunch of people came to Jerusalem from the north (they were led by a guy named Jeroboam) and these people come to the New King and tell him.
“Dude we need a tax cut…your dad’s (tax rates) are killing us.” Rehoboam gets some bad advice and basically tells them to stop their whining - and Get Ready because the tax rates are going up.” Well this ticks off the people from the north so they start their own nation and a civil (war) between the north (Israel) and the south (Judah) begins. Brother fighting brother. Never a good thing.
And since the people in the north NO longer have the Temple, they turn away from God and start to worship foreign gods. God removes his protection and the Assyrian empire in 722 BC comes in and destroys the northern kingdom (wipes them out, it’s pretty ugly.)
Then they try to take out the southern kingdom (Judah) as well… but just as they surround the city, God sends an angel to rescue them. So the northern kingdom is gone because of turning away from God.
What do you think that the southern kingdom (Judah) learned from this?
Now you would hope they learned that it’s not a good idea to turn away from God and worship idols. but they didn’t. Instead they to choose to Serve and Worship other Gods
Understand it was during this time, a time when God’s people are doing really bad, living totally against God, that Jeremiah is born and had his ministry. (and by the way, his dad was a priest so Jeremiah was a PK- prophet king he grew in a town 3 miles north of Jerusalem.). It was a TOUGH Ministry and Jeremiah had many reasons to quit many reasons to give up and throw in the towel.
Let me quickly share a few with you.
I. Reasons For Giving Up
The first reason would be.
A) The People
Have people ever made you want to give up?
You would have hoped that the Southern Kingdom (Judah) would have learned from watching what happened to her sister kingdom in the north. That it’s NOT-- a good idea to turn away from God and worship idols, But they didn’t.
CHECKOUT – what God says to Judah;
Jeremiah 3:8-10 (CEV)
Her sister, the kingdom of Judah, saw what happened, but she wasn't worried in the least, and I watched her become unfaithful like her sister. The kingdom of Judah wasn't sorry for being a prostitute, and she didn't care that she had made both herself and the land unclean by worshiping idols of stone and wood. And worst of all, the people of Judah pretended to come back to me. Even the people of Israel were honest enough not to pretend.
Understand these guys didn’t learn a thing. Instead they too worshipped false idols and committed immorality on every hill in Jerusalem, they even sacrifice their own sons and daughters to the flames of their pagan idols. And worst of all, the people of Judah pretended to come back to me. Even the people of Israel were honest enough not to pretend. Jeremiah 3:10,11
Do you see the picture Jeremiah is painting? The people of Judah pretended to come back to God. They came to the services, sang the songs, lifted their hands they even filled in Jeremiah’s sermon outlines. But it wasn’t real. They worshipped with their lips, but their hearts were far from God.
Jeremiah 7:9-11 (NLT)
Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and worship Baal and all those other new gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, "We are safe!" only to go right back to all those evils again? Do you think this Temple, which honors my name, is a den of thieves? I see all the evil going on there, says the LORD.
Yes -People made Jeremiah want to give up.
Again, Have people ever made YOU want to give up?
Another reason Jeremiah had for wanting to throw in the towel was:
B) Is The Ministry God-Himself Had Called Him To
Understand Jeremiah had a tough ministry to preach a difficult message that no one wanted to hear.
And what was ‘The Message"…???
That God was angry at the nation and His justice was about to be UNLEASHED on them for their sins.
2 Chronicles 36:15-17
The LORD, The God of their ancestors, repeatedly SENT HIS Prophets to Warn Them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple. But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done. So the Lord brought the king of Babylon against them.
The only thing left for Judah to do, their only hope to surrender to their enemy the Babylonians. And...if they do things would go "Reasonably well. "But if they refused to surrender, then things would be terrible. Their city & temple would be burned to the ground and tens of thousands of people would die from the sword and from famine.
Yet Jeremiah preached a 40+ year sermon series called, ‘Captivity and Death.’
And as you might have guessed, this message wore Jeremiah out.
Listen to these words from Jeremiah 23:9
My heart is broken and I tremble uncontrollably. I stagger like a drunkard, like someone overcome by wine, because of the holy words the LORD has spoken against them. The ministry, The Task, The road God called him to walk down, and being the prophet of (doom & gloom) and of (death and destruction) was enough to make Jeremiah want to quit.
Has the task, The ministry, The road God has called YOU to walk down ever make you feel like -giving up?
NEXT comes
C) The Rejection and... Futility
Understand Jeremiah preached his heart out for 40+ years and NO ONE ever listened (He made No impact, -He changed No lives)CHECKOUT this passage: Jeremiah is talking to God’s people;
Jeremiah 6:16,17
This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will NOT walk in it. We will NOT listen.'
Did You Hear That? 'We will Not walk in it… 'We will Not listen.' And because of that refusal they would never find rest for their souls. And not only did the people reject him. But God rejected his prayers. Jeremiah loved his people, he didn’t want to see them suffer. So he constantly prayed for them. And more than once God has to tell Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 11:14
Pray No more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, for I will Not listen to them when they cry out to me in distress.
Understand -Rejection and Futility is enough to make even the strongest person want to give up.
It's Satan's Tool's & LIES!
Then there was the loneliness.
D) The Loneliness
If ever a man needed a sympathetic spouse. This prophet surely did. Yet God ordered Jeremiah not to marry.
Jeremiah(16:2).
"Do Not get married or have children in this place."
His lifestyle must match his message. And for Jeremiah to marry and have children would be inconsistent with his announcement that Jerusalem would soon be destroyed by the Babylonians.
And for that very same reason, Jeremiah was not even allowed to attend parties or social gathering, because there was nothing to celebrate.
So, do you see the picture here? For 40+ years Jeremiah was all alone preaching a message, No one wanted to hear to a people who would not listen.
Has feeling all alone, feeling like YOU are the only one who cares and feeling like your the only one who is trying ever made you feel like giving up?
E) The Hardships
And if that wasn’t bad enough for Jeremiah, (let’s throw some abuse and hardships into this boiling pot of discouragement)
Here are just a few examples
• Men from his hometown - plotted against him… (11:9ff)
• He was put on trail- for his life (26:11)
• His -first draft -of God’s word -was burned by the king (36:23)
• He was flogged -and put in public stocks- for people to mock (20:1)
• He was attacked- by the false prophets -who spoke another message (28:1-17)
• He was arrested - and accused of treason (37:11)
• He was dragged from his prison cell -lowered by ropes into an empty well in the prison yard, there was no water in it but there was a thick layer of mud and Jeremiah sunk down deep into it (38:6)
NOW - I don’t know about you, but I think Jeremiah had a lot of reasons for giving up, for throwing in the towel.
In Fact: Some of the very same reasons that often come against us STILL TODAY. People, The tough task, ministry we were called to, futility and rejection, loneliness and hardships. Did you know how Jeremiah is often referred to by biblical Scholars, as " the weeping prophet.
Listen to these words from a tired and worn out man of God.
Jeremiah 9:1
Oh, that my head were a spring of water - and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night.
II. Sometimes Jeremiah Wanted To Quit
Not all the time. But there were moments when he had enough. Moments when he cried out in great frustration and said
‘I can’t take it anymore. "
Have YOU ever had - any of those moments? Jeremiah did
Jeremiah 15:15-18
“LORD, You know what’s happening to me. Please step in and help me. Please give me time; don’t let me die young. It’s for YOUR sake that I am suffering. When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies. I never joined the people in their merry feasts. I sat alone because your hand was on me. I was filled with indignation at their sins. Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook, like a spring that has gone dry.”
Can you feel his pain?
Jeremiah is hurting big time and you know what I love most about Jeremiah,
It's that he puts it all out on the table (the good, bad and ugly). He
doesn’t come to God- pretending.
He's talking and pouring his heart out. Openly!
Talking to God One On ONE
“GOD you led me down this road, I’m always alone, and it seems like you are never there for me. Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook, like a spring that has gone dry. Now that was not true, But that was how Jeremiah felt.
One More "I feel like quitting moment" from chapter 20;
Jeremiah 20:14-18
I curse the day I was born! -May No One celebrate -the day of my birth. - I curse the messenger -who told my father, “Good news you have a son!” Let him be destroyed like the cities of old that the LORD overthrew without mercy. Terrify him all day long with battle shouts, because He did not kill me at birth. Oh, that I had died in my mother’s womb, that her body had been my grave! Why was I ever born? My entire life has been filled with trouble, sorrow, and shame. Those are not the words of a man all pumped up and ready to charge a hill or land on the beach…
RATHER – they are words of a man ready to cash in his chips and go home. That towel is in his hand, his arm is drawn back and he’s ready to throw it…Rejection, - hostility, -pain, - suffering, - futility, - loneliness and an unpopular message for 40+ years.
Jeremiah had so many reasons to give up, Yet Jeremiah hangs tough for all of those years. Sure he had many moments when he felt like quitting, But he NEVER did…
III. Why Jeremiah Did NOT Give Up
You know as I thought about my man Jeremiah and how he hung in there. I asked myself over and over again. How did he do it? How was Jeremiah able to hang in there and not give up? What kept him going? And I think I found at least part of the answer. Now let's talk about 3 keys, 3 things that YOU and I (like Jeremiah) Must have if we are going to keep going when we feel like giving up.
A) Jeremiah Had A Purpose To Live For
In the Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes: Nothing matters more than knowing God’s purposes for your life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing them, not success, wealth, fame or pleasure. Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without direction and events without reason. Without a purpose life is trivial, petty and pointless.
When Life has meaning you can bear almost anything. Without Meaning, nothing is bearable. Jeremiah’s life had meaning and purpose and we see this in the very first chapter of his book.
The Lord gave me a message.
Jeremiah 1:4-7
He said, "Before I Formed You in the womb, I Knew You, Before you were born, I set You apart, I appointed YOU as a prophet to the Nations. Alas, Sovereign Lord, I said, I do not know how to speak, I am too young. But The Lord said to me, "Do NOT Say, I am too young, You must go to Everyone I Send You To and Say whatever I command you. Jeremiah, I am the one who created you. I knew you in your mother’s womb therefore I know who you are and what you should do. So don’t say ‘I can’t..’
YES - Jeremiah knew his purpose to speak the Words of God. That purpose helped him to keep going even when he felt like giving up.
Checkout these words in
Jeremiah 20:7-9
You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; You overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will NOT mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." Yes, Knowing that God had a purpose for his life that burned like a fire in Jeremiah’s bones and empowered him to not give up.
B) Jeremiah had a Hope to anchor to.
Let me share one of my favorite stories that illustrate the power of hope. A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope has on those Undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours.
Why? Not because they were given a rest, but Because they suddenly had hope! You see those animals believed that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. UNDERSTAND - Jeremiah had hope because like our little ‘just keep swimming’ rodent friends he was confident that someone (That God) would one day come and rescue him.
Not only did Jeremiah speak the following words from God, he BELIEVED them. And it gave him(even in the face of - rejection, -futility, people and hardships) an Unsinkable HOPE.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and NOT to harm you, plans to give you Hope and a Future… - Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah knew that battles, war, death, famine, sin & destruction were NOT God's Ultimate Plan for his people even in the midst of their sin, idolatry and rebellion. God’s plan for His people was still to prosper them (not harm them) and to give them a Hope and a Future.
I have no doubt that this gave Jeremiah hope.
I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, - Jeremiah 29:14
God does not punish us or allow bad things to happen to us in order to PAY us back, but to BRING us back!
God’s passion, His goal, His desire has remained Unchanged since man’s fall in the garden. To do whatever it takes to bring us back to Himself!
• Jeremiah had this Hope. A hope anchored to the plan and purposes of God.
• Jeremiah knew that God’s desire was NOT To Pay His people back, but to win them back. He was able to write these words as he left Jerusalem with the city and the temple in rubble burning in his rearview mirror.
Lamentations 3:19-26
"The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will
never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great
is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will Hope in
him!” The LORD is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the LORD."
C) Jeremiah Had "A Mighty God" To Trust In
"O Sovereign LORD! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you! O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds you performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, both in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours.
Jeremiah 32:17-20
God everything you ever wanted to do you did YOU made the heavens & earth. YOU delivered your people…AND EVERYTHING - YOU ever said Would Happen, HAS or WILL happened, Nothing is too hard for YOU! LORD: I put my trust ‘completely’ in YOU and YOU alone. For You are worthy of my trust.
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8
A purpose to Live for - A hope to anchor to - A mighty God to trust in.
WE as Jesus followers have those exact same 3 three things.
We have a Purpose To Live For
We are God’s Masterpiece, Created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
I stand before you this morning and proclaim to you on the authority of the Word of God that you have a purpose to live for!
• To know God, To bring Him pleasure, honor and glory
• To be a part of His family
• To become LIKE Christ and Reflect Him to this world
• To do what God has Uniquely Shaped and prepared for you to do. To help redirect the eternity of men and woman, and LEAD people to the fullness of life! And we have A HOPE to anchor to. We have to run to God for our safety.
Now HIS Promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of "The hope that is right here in front of us." This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. In fact, hope reaches ( behind the curtain) and into the most holy place. Jesus has gone there ahead of us, -and he is our high priest forever - Heb 6:18-20
I love it!!!! Jesus has gone ahead of us + PLUS, We are going there too! ONE Day - He will come and rescue us and take us home so “just keep swimming…
Yes One Day the heavens will be ripped open and the New Heaven (our perfect eternal home) will come down from the sky.
• And He will wipe every tear from our eyes
• There will be no more pain or sorrow, sin and hatred
• Where we WILL- SEE Him as He really IS.
"The one sitting on the throne said, "Look, " I am making all things new! " And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." - Rev 21:5
We have a mighty God to TRUST in.
Paul was is in prison he was there for preaching the gospel…AND he knew that at any moment the guards would come and lead him down a dark narrow corridor to his death at the edge of an axe. So he pens some final words to his good friend Timothy. Paul is letting Timothy know that he has no regrets he says; "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
2 Tim 1:12
He also wrote in Ephesians 3:20,21…
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
• A Purpose to LIVE for,
• A HOPE to anchor to
• and A Mighty God to trust in…
These are the KEYS to YOU and I
Hanging In There when we feel like giving up. But How and Where do we not only get - BUT MAINTAIN Those things…?
Through a relationship with Christ, Accept No substitute.
By seeking God as Jeremiah said in
Jeremiah 29:13,14
With all our heart…You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
I will be FOUND - by you," declares the LORD…"
Sunday May 16th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared and Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
OVERCOMING WHAT KEEPS US FROM JESUS
(Adapted from Walking Free by Winn Collier)
This morning I’d like to talk about the seven deadly sins -- pride, envy, sloth, greed, anger, lust, and gluttony. As fallen sinners, we must be wary of their destructive temptations. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. So even when we mess up, God is always there to pick us up and forgive us.
Of course, this list isn’t the final word regarding human vices. We find other lists of harmful sins in Proverbs 6 and Galatians 5. These seven weren’t even intended to show the worst sins -- such as murder. Instead, they provide an opportunity to learn from others’ example and to reflect on how or where these temptations may show up in our own life. Early Christians called them the seven capital vices because they believed these were the source of a multitude of temptations and grief. For example, anger can lead to murder and abuse, while envy can lead to the destruction of a community and friendships. Each sin, when indulged, ignites a whole other world of hurt and heartache.
A vice is essentially an immoral habit or practice – and habits, thank goodness, can be changed. Awareness of the seven deadly sins helps us recognize our own imperfections, bad habits, and cracks in our character that we might ignore, allowing for transformation to begin. The Bible assures us that we can resist these devastating vices, and over time with grace and diligence, God can renew us to walk down a path that leads to joy and freedom. So, let’s begin.
1. PRIDE. Pride is the is where we put self over God. Many consider it to be the root of all other sins. In the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve’s misstep was to believe they knew better than God. The foolishness at the Tower of Babel was the idea that by a show of strength we can raise ourselves to God’s level. The root of so many of our destructive impulses is the belief that we can be or grab for ourselves what only God can be and give to us.
We all know egotistical people. They maneuver conversations and social settings to ensure that everyone knows they’re at the top of the food chain; they silence or shame people and tell stories where they are the hero. They appear to be powerful but instead, they’re living in a fear trying to create a life where they feel important, secure, and beloved. And if we’re honest, we can find times in our own lives where we may have behaved the same way.
What’s sad is our God can meet all the yearnings of the egotist’s heart but they’re so busy trying to promote themselves, they can’t receive the goodness God longs to give them.
To counter this destructive, prideful impulse, look to the first Commandment, Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me. Perhaps this is why Jesus told us in Matthew 22:27-39 that the most essential commandment is to love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, and mind, followed next by the command to love our neighbor. All love comes from God. If we’re not receiving the steady flow of God’s love, we’ll have none to give away and we’ll never be able to properly love our neighbors, ourselves, or God’s good world.
People with power, wealth, knowledge, or notoriety are often seduced by Pride. The more resources we have, the easier it can be to believe we can handle life on our own. An Old Testament example of this is King Uzziah. He oversaw monumental construction projects, amassed sprawling vineyards and enormous herds of cattle, and built an impressive army that made his enemies tremble. He became a great king with vast dominance, but his success went straight to his head. II Chronicles 26:16 tells us: But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Mosaic law demanded this function to be carried out only by the high priest. It was Uzziah’s pride that told him he was so big and important; he didn’t need God. But it’s not only the powerful who struggle with pride. If we’re fixated on ourselves, we exhibit pride in many ways, even when we seem to have little reason for bloated self-importance.
As with all the seven sins, pride is the result of a good desire twisting in an unhealthy direction. A prideful person wants to be seen and noticed. This is a good thing because we’re made to be seen, enjoyed, and to experience another’s delight in us. However, our desire can only be met through God’s abundant gifts – His love, mercy, and acceptance in His family. Whenever we create a false image to grab what we want, we push away the very love we so desperately crave. To combat pride, we can practice silence. Instead of speaking up every time we have an opinion or at times where we could draw attention to ourselves, choose strategic moments to stay quiet. We should also find time often where we can be quiet, listening only to God. Then we will hear His delight in us!
2. ENVY. Envy is another good desire gone rogue. We all long for goodness, affirmation, blessings, and joy. While God intends for us to experience all these things, envy grows whenever we think our happiness depends on securing what another person has. When we’re envious, we fixate on something we think we must have, and we think we know what we really need. But too often, we’re mistaken and confused and as we wander further away from truth and love from God, we lose our perspective, and we lose ourselves.
Envious people feel an internal void and want what others enjoy; whether it be abilities, beauty, strength, relationships, or accomplishments, to name a few things. An envious person always compares themselves with others and judges their own shortcomings. They’re also very self-critical. When we’re unable to see ourselves as God’s beloved, we despise who we are, and then turn toward others to make up for what we see as our deficiencies. Then this combination of envy and self-hatred devours us from the inside. Proverbs 14:30 says: “A sound heart is life to the body; but envy is rottenness to the bones.”
Often envy is our response to a painful rejection, a sense of inadequacy, or a fear of failure which points us toward quick relief in our quest to find validation, recognition, and love. Yet, even if we were able to grab whatever we’re fixated on from another person, it would never satisfy what we think we lack. As the proverb says, not only does it rot the bones, it also never produces a heart at peace or a “sound heart.”
Envy rots us from the inside. The only power strong enough to heal envy is love. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, kind, and it does not envy. God is love, so to find freedom from envy we must abandon ourselves to God’s enduring love. This allows us to discover that we don’t need to possess, perform, or accomplish anything. We’re simply loved and delighted in by the God who has already moved heaven and earth to call us His beloved children. A life without envy allows us to be free and to accept others as they are.
3. SLOTH. Sloth brings mind of someone in PJs, glued to the couch popping M&Ms with pizza boxes scattered around the room, binging Netflix for days on end. Unhealthy for sure, but a deadly sin?
Well, the Christian tradition, shows something far more treacherous than mere laziness. It’s the many ways we shrink from the fullness of life God has called us toward. We shrink from our relationships and we shrink from the God who loves us and from this wonderful, yet often demanding and perplexing life God placed before us. Surrendering to sloth causes us to lose our fire and boldness.
Sloth’s causes us to withdraw from God and His world, and from our God-given confidence, causing our vision to narrow.
Proverbs 15:19 tells us: “The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway.” Sloth drains our energy and hems us in. But when we push away the malaise and turn in trust to God, something shifts. Hope returns, and renewed energy begins to seep in. This is God pushing us toward a wide-open future.
Sloth is a symptom of an increasingly wilting soul that’s trapped in the quagmire of idleness. We feel helpless to embrace our life or pursue God with any conviction or passion; causing God’s energy to drain from us. Sloth stops us from seeing the joy in God, in our good life, in those we love, and in this beautiful world. It allows us to surrender to hopelessness and futility rather than to the God of Hope who infuses us with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit as Paul tells us in Romans 15:13.
When we recognize the lethargy and despair, we’re in, our first reaction is to load shame on ourselves when instead, we should use it as an opportunity for healing. Healing comes when we question why we feel so empty or desperate or disconnected from God’s kindness and mercy. When we turn to God, in time we experience a renewal of love for God and all people and things around us.
4. GREED. In Luke 12:15 Jesus responded to a man who attempted to get Jesus to take his side in an ongoing feud with his brother over their inheritance. Whether or not the man’s grievance was justified, the young man’s heart was focused on the wrong things. Jesus’ response was “Take heed and beware of covetousness for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Today, just as much as in the first century, greed’s seductive allure requires our resistance. We’re constantly assaulted with Ads bombarding us with messages telling us all we don’t have. Our economic system pounds into our head that making piles of money and buying huge amounts of trinkets secures happiness. Even the label we’re given – consumers – prods us to grab more, use more, want more.
Greed distorts reality and degrades humanity and pushes us to follow our insatiable appetites without ever thinking about what’s good, true, healthy, and beautiful. Philippians 4:8 says: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – mediate on these things.” Greed distorts our vision of God, fueling the deluded notion that our cravings can be satisfied apart from the One who created us and who knows our deepest longings even better than we do. Left to our own devices, greed robs us of joy and a trusting reliance on the God who owns the world and everything in it. We need to depend entirely on God for everything in our lives.
While greed may be most easily spotted as we search for more money and more stuff, it can take on a thousand shapes. Jesus said to be on guard against “all kinds of greed.” Such as power and prominence, security or comfort, relationships, knowledge, personal space, intimacy, or to have others see us as the expert. With each manifestation of greed, we’re tempted to believe that we must have more of something or someone for our life to be whole. Eugene Peterson, author of the Bible translation “The Message” paraphrased Jesus’s words in Luke 12:15 with: “protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”
Despite how serious greed’s effects are, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s merely the twisting of a good thing. God has created us to desire, to want. The words of David in Psalm 30:4 suggest that delight and desire are woven into our life with God and are an essential part of an awakened heart. Jesus doesn’t tell us to squelch desire, but to pay attention to truer desires. The problem with greed isn’t that it reveals our wants, but that it tempts us to settle for things that are immature, flimsy, and ultimately destructive. He truth is, God wants so much more for us than this.
5. ANGER. Destructive anger is how our pain and fears show themselves. When we’re afraid someone else will step ahead of us or take the limelight away from us, we get angry. When we experience deep wounds or disappointments, we get angry. Anger often reveals that we’re operating out of a wounded ego, that we believe someone has wronged us or failed us in a way that seems to threaten our sense of identity. So, rather than looking into our own darkness, extending mercy, turning to faithful friends, or turning to God, we lash out.
As destructive as anger can be, when we consider how Scripture portrays it, we see a portrait that is more complex than anger being merely a vice. While the Bible repeatedly views anger as a destructive force that overwhelms us and subverts clear thinking and harms everyone it touches, there’s also a counter theme. Sometimes, anger is just. Paul suggests in Ephesians 4:26 there is a kind of anger that aids our efforts to resist sin. Jesus at times became angry. Whenever religious powers oppressed the weak, used God as a pretext for their greed or power plays, Jesus’ anger burned. If sin and injustice are destructive, then it’s right to feel a fire in our bones when evil expands its sinister reach.
Knowing that each vice distorts something good, we can learn the difference between a righteous anger defending the vulnerable or seeking justice and a caustic anger that can obliterate everything and everyone it touches. A righteous anger fights to protect others and to safeguard love. An unrighteous anger leaves behind a trail of wounded relationships without considering the casualties. Anger and rage apart from Jesus’ transformative love, always does harm, no matter how noble the intent.
In the book of James, we’re told we must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Human anger doesn’t produce the righteousness God desires. On its own, our anger never yields the good life, never heals, never turns enemies into friends and never opens new possibilities. It only destroys. Sadly, it’s easy for us to justify our anger. Maybe we really have been wronged, maybe someone else truly does need us to come to their defense. But our anger, isolated from its rightful foundation in God’s love, simply can’t create goodness. It’s like trying to put out a fire with a blowtorch; we only fuel the destruction.
6. LUST. When we think about Lust we think about desire. Desire becomes a sickness when it owns us and becomes a thing, we believe we must have to be fulfilled. Lust is the distortion and ultimately the squashing of the good desires God wants us to enjoy.
Scriptures tells us Satan is at work in the world scheming and conniving to replace God. He worms his way into our hearts through a variety of seductions. I John 2:16 tells us the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These aren’t from the Father but are from the world. The lust of the flesh tempts us through runaway cravings for food, sex, and every sort of physical pleasure. The lust of the eye tempts us through our desires to gorge all we can on a ravenous pursuit for prestige, power, and reputation. However, lust only destroys.
The great tragedy of indulging in lust is the way it keeps us from enjoying real pleasure, and from receiving God’s true joys. It blocks us from receiving true pleasure because it turns us away from the God who provides it. Lust can cut us off from the capacity to experience the pleasures God longs to give. Lust is a selfish quest to conquer others and grab more for ourselves and makes it impossible to be present to the actual moment we’re in, and to miss what’s happening in our soul, to miss the real person in our life, and miss to the goodness surrounding us.
Like cancer, lust eats away at good, sensual, and healthy pleasures. It feeds off the lie that we must have this experience, that person, this relationship, that sensation – and we must have it now or we will be forever unfulfilled. But with that grasping, insatiable posture, everything we touch gets devoured and ruined.
Lust makes us lost wanders, crawling across the desert. All we can think about is getting to water. But the “water” lust promises is always a mirage. Lust feeds the lie that God is not really the source of true pleasure and promises that whatever we crave will fulfill us, but it never does. Only God has that power.
7. GLUTTONY. We see a glutton as one who stuffs themselves with food, well past the point of being full. But whenever gluttony in any form becomes a pattern of life, it’s no laughing matter. Proverbs 23:2 uses hyperbole to show how seriously we should take this temptation. It says: “And put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.” The Bible tells us gluttony isn’t about calories but about forgetfulness that can lead to rebellion and ruin. The first example of this happened when Adam and Eve forgot that God had given them everything they could possibly need and that nothing outside of their life with God would satisfy them. Likewise, when God led Israel out of Egypt through the desert, they quickly forgot what life had been like under Pharaoh and how astounding God’s rescue was. Still, God continued to provide food for His people with manna and quail. He did this so the people would never forget their God.
But of course, Israel forgot. We all forget. The people were told to gather enough food for each day because God will provide more each day. But many didn’t trust God and thought they needed to stockpile extra. Later, others decided that manna and quail weren’t enough and began to crave other foods. Their cravings ran away with them – they became gluttons.
We have the same temptations. We stuff ourselves with food, media, experiences, and opportunities. We gluttonously pursue an image or another person’s acceptance or some achievement. Stuffing and hoarding, we no longer believe that God is who we most crave. What we all need far more than food or reputation, or any other experience or person, is God. Our temptation to stuff ourselves signals to us a profound truth: we are indeed hungry…hungry to experience God and life in His kingdom. So, we shouldn’t despise our hunger; rather we must move deeper into it and the deepest longings it points to which will allow us to discover the good news that our kind and generous God longs to give us all we need. If we insist on gorging ourselves, we’ll never be ready to receive His gifts.
After this review this morning, it can be disorienting and painful to see our sinfulness and the sickness inside us. But there is no shame here and there’s nothing to fear. We simply need to see the lies in our lives so that we can throw them off and come out into the bright sunshine. God’s generous arms are spread wide open to embrace us. His love is far more powerful than delusions, addictions, and destructive patterns. Whether its pride, envy, sloth, greed, anger, lust, or gluttony, God’s light chases those pretenders away.
This is a constant battle for all Christians. But when we’re tempted to despair or to oppressive guilt or self-ridicule, remember God’s tenderness and gentleness. Remember that God calls us His beloved even when we’re mired in foolishness and vice. God invites us to come out of hiding, to step into the radiant light of love. He calls us to a life that is whole, and free.
Sunday May 9th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Today is Mother’s day and I want to wish all our mothers a very happy an blessed day. For those of us whose moms are no longer with us, let us take the time to remember just how much our moms meant to us. Had I been able to be with you today, this would have been my message.
God bless
Pastor Don
Title: Mother—a Basic Need of Life
Text: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. Children, obey your parents in the Lord:
for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise”
(Eph. 5:25; 6:1–2).
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:25–6:3
The climax of God’s creative activities was the presentation of humankind. The natural system that God selected to populate the earth was that of union between husband and wife. The father is essential to plant the seed in order for children to be created, but the mother is the basic unit for conceiving, developing, and giving birth to a child.
Hearts are almost universally sentimental when reference is made to a mother. Because of her unique role in producing the family, a mother has her own particular needs. And the family and society have special needs that a mother can meet.
Let’s look at a mother’s needs.
The role of a mother is not easy to fulfill. Many factors outside the home influence children, so it is necessary for a mother to make certain efforts if she is to be successful in rearing her children.
A mother needs to have society on her mind. A mother must be aware of the evils facing her children when they are not under her immediate care, and she must warn her children of these evils. Care must be taken so that none of these dangers invade the intimacy of the home.
On the other hand, since children’s attitudes are forged by their mother, a mother must also be aware of the good that exists in the world and instill in her children a desire for this good in their lives.
A mother needs to have God in her heart. A mother plagued by guilt will be a ghost in the lives of her children. Therefore a mother owes it to her family to have a clear conscience and a soul set free by salvation through Jesus Christ. Then she may guide her beloved children to genuine life in him. The most peaceful spot on earth is the path in the center of God’s will. The wise mother desires this reality for herself and her family.
A mother needs to have a husband by her side. A mother must have the true friendship of her husband. They must work side by side to make the home a nurturing environment for their children.
A mother needs to have children under her guidance. The Bible requires that children obey and respect their parents. A basic need of the mother is for her children to love and obey her. A rebellious child will force a mother to a premature grave.
The basic needs for successful motherhood are met by God, by the yielded spirit of the mother, by the loving heart of the husband, and by the obedient mind of the child.
God ordained a basic place for motherhood within the structure of our society. We cannot do without her. Those who have tried to do so have suffered the consequences.
A mother is needed by a sick society. Motherhood is a symbol of righteousness and concern. When there is a degrading of this concept, society becomes sick. When a mother exemplifies biblical standards of holiness, society is healed.
A mother is needed by her children. Children have lofty feelings of pride about their parents. Although no parent can be perfect, a mother owes it to herself and her children to strive to maintain a proper life.
A mother is needed by her husband. Her husband needs her to assist in the rearing of their children. Mothers should foster a true spirit of maternal love so as to truly minister to their child and to be a source of strength to her husband.
A mother is needed by the church. The local church has an awesome dependency on mothers. A mother learns biblical truths and shares them with her family and friends. Her time and talent are used in the many functions of the congregation. Her children follow in her footsteps.
God has placed a mother in the life of every person, yet some circumstances may not allow certain people to benefit from a mother’s tender concern. But blessed is that mother who shares the truth and life of God with the children he has placed within her care.
As a personal note, I was blessed with a wonderful mother. She loved her Lord more than anything else, but her family was always next on the list. Mom was faithful in helping dad with the church work, evangelism, and even helped dig the footing for the addition to the church. Mom had a sense of humor and never thought of her own needs…her family came first. But most importantly, she made sure I knew about the things of the Lord at an early age. She started me in church when I was less than two weeks old, sure I probably didn’t understand much of what was going on, but the idea of being in church was instilled in me at a very early age. Not to mention that mom was a great disciplinarian with her wooden spoon or ping pong paddle (properly placed when needed).
Sunday May 9th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared and Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
God's Blueprint - For Building A Christian Home
Contributed by Robert Webb
A very fitting message for today.
Booker T Washington: Was an American educator, author, orator and advisor to several presidents of the United States. He once said “If I have done anything in life worth attention, I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother”
Washington Irving : American short story writer, essayist, biographer, historian and diplomat of the early 19th century. Best Know for "Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
“A mother is the - Truest Friend we have, when trials-heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity- takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she will cling to us, and endeavor -by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate- the clouds of darkness, soft and cause peace to return to our hearts.”
William Ross Wallace is quoted by saying “The hand -that rocks the cradle rules the world” This poem praises "That Motherhood" as the preeminent force, for the change in the world.
We can learn a lot from our mothers in our adolescent years
Mother’s teach RELIGION: Through by instruction: We'll hear forcefully when that grape juice spills on the carpet, "You better pray that stain will come out of that carpet."
Mother’s teach LOGIC: From her decisive words forcefully "Because I said so; That's WHY."
Mother‘s teach FORESIGHT: "Make sure your wearing clean underwear, In case you’re in an accident."
Mother‘s teach IRONY:
"Keep laughing, and I’ll give you - WHAT??
Something to cry about." (of course)
Mother‘s teach about STAMINA: "You’ll sit there ’until all that spinach is finished."
Mother‘s teach about WEATHER: "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."
Mother‘s teach THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: "I brought you into this world, I can take you out."
Mother‘s teach about
behavior modification:
"Stop acting like your father!"
Mother‘s teach about
ENVY: "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't
have a wonderful Mother like you do"
All kidding aside...
A mother is a vital part of God’s Blueprint for building a good Christian home.
I want to look at some Images this morning that mothers provide in making the Christian home what it should be.
1.A Christian home should be a filling station, a place where you can go get checked and refueled and it's the fuel that keeps families going is LOVE.
Hannah was a good example of a Godly mother who loved her child: She prayed for a son and dedicated him to serving the Lord even before he was born.
1 Samuel 1:vs 11-28
11 And she made this vow: “O Lord -of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated- to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
12 As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her.
13 Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking.
14 “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
15 “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord.
16 Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”
17 “In that case,” Eli said, “Go in Peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
18 “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again and she was no longer sad.
19 The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah.
When El-ka-nah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea,
20 and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel for she said, “I asked -the Lord -for him.”
21 The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice- to the Lord and to keep his vow.
22 But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.”
23 “Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise.” So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.
24 When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine.
25 After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.
26 “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord.
27 I asked the Lord to give me this boy and he has granted my request.
28 Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.
How much Greater Love
could a mother have for her children than to give them into the service of the
Lord?
Is that not the same that is expected of us today? AMEN?
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
2. A Christian home should be a Storm Shelter, because children are not only looking for love they are also looking and in need of security.
Are we not also children of God??
We all have that internal sense, a deep seeded emotion which God has placed within us ALL.. and we ALL Long For this Love.
Proverbs 14:26 New International Version (NIV)
26 Whoever fears the
Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children
It will be a refuge.
Children want to know that there is a place that they can be safe and have peace from all the storms of life!
A four-year-old and a six-year-old presented their mom with a houseplant. They had used their own money to buy it and (Mom) was thrilled.
The older of them said with a Sad face: "There was a Bouquet at the flower shop that we wanted to give you. It was really pretty but it was Too Expensive. Mom, It had a ribbon on it that said: ‘Rest in Peace,' and we thought it would be just perfect since you are always asking for a little peace so that you can rest.
Out of the mouths of babes. slow But straight from the heart.
3. A Christian home should be an Emergency room, a Trauma Center for ALL the Non Medical Emergencies of life. Every child is going to be wounded sooner or later! We All have and had those times with our mom's, memories flooding back. A song will play the radio that takes us back to a moment. A Rewind- Instant Replay
Some events absolutely leave an indentation on our hearts. It's NOT a scare by any means, because the nurturing and love that was poured out from Mom, it's where your heart grew in size from the experience. You've probably heard this expression:
"Some people come into our lives and quickly go, Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same.
We came into her life, and that indentation is her footprint that has been placed on our heart forever changing us.
Something in this life is going to break a child's hearts. Could be Event, harsh words from a friend, But it's those life events , some harsh experiences that come along, some events will reach into our Adult Lives.
Where will THEY Turn?
Where do YOU Turn?
or
Who Have you turned To?
Yep, Mom, and of course The Lord!
Why?
They carried you In their Womb. Yes, They literally carried us. Much like the footprints in the sand: It was THEN that I carried You.
It's a Love Much as Christ loves us.
A Mother's Prayer takes our heartbreaks, our brokenness and it's much like a baptism for our souls.
True loving compassion, that's the feeling you get which flows and washes over you and cleanses from within from the relationship between a child and their mother. A woman of God, who gets on her knee's and prays. Sometimes a mother doesn't have to be blood relation. You can be blessed with mother In-Law or even a Mother figure. Growing up we all need a Christian home to turn to with sound godly parents.
Margaret H Cobb tells a story: My 13 year old daughter Amy is perhaps having more trouble than some teens "discovering who she is” because she is adopted from South Korea and we have no idea who her birth mother might be. Recently Amy received braces on her teeth and she was more and more uncomfortable as the day wore on. By bedtime she was miserable. I gave her some medication and invited her to snuggle up with me for a while. Soon she became more comfortable and drowsy. In a small voice that gradually tapered off to sleep she said “Mom, I know who my real Mom IS. It's the one who takes the hurting away.”
A Mother has her Emergency Room OPEN - 24- hours a day 7 days a week!
4. A Christian Home should be a schoolhouse. Someone else may teach your children math, how to type or about science, but at home is where children should learn about life The Bible says that Mom's and Dad’s teach about life.
Proverbs 6:20-23
20 My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them -always on your heart; fasten them around your neck.
22 When you Walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For this command is a lamp, this teaching " is a light," and correction and instruction are the way to life, children need to be taught how to deal with life and it needs to be taught in a Christian home. How to get along with people? How to be a good decent and honest person, about values, what’s right and wrong, morality and its application verses immorality and its consequences.
The things that are most important in life will be taught in the schoolhouse "That Mom and Dad Run."
A teacher was giving a lesson on fractions. She asked this question: Johnny, suppose there were 7 of You.
5 children and a Mom and Dad.
Suppose there was a pie for dessert. What fraction of the pie would you get?
That’s easy , Johnny said, one sixth!
What do you mean asked the teacher, Don’t you know about fractions?
Johnny said; I know about fractions, but I also know my mother too, and she would say- She didn’t WANT Any!
5. A Christian home must be a Worship Center. A child shouldn’t have to wait until Sunday to worship God.
Our homes ought to be Holy Ground because God is there and children should know- God is real because -He is REAL to their parents.
In 2 Timothy
Timothy’s mother Eunice was commended highly by Paul:
2 Timothy 1:5
“ I am reminded of Sincere Faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your Mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, Now lives In You Also.”
Mothers must pass on to their children A Faith - To Live By.
Eunice raised Timothy to have a Great Faith in God despite their home being religiously divided.
You can see the importance of Generations of the Christian faith. And you can see that Lois, Timothy’s Grandmother, played a pivotal role in grounding Eunice and Timothy in a sincere faith in God. Children should know that God is real, not only by the bible stories they read, but because they are influenced by parents and can see faith lived out within their families, because homes are a Worship Center where Christ is not merely spoken of, but lived out by pattern and example for all to see.
Rose Kennedy, Mother to John F. Kennedy was quoted saying in the book Celebrating Mothers: A Book of Appreciation." Whenever I held my newborn babe in my arms, I used to think what I did and what I said to him would have an influence, not only on him, but on everyone he meets, not for a day, or a year, but for all time and for eternity.
What a Challenge, What a joy!”
Mother’s Get Their Blueprints from the architect
- God.
Psalm 127:1
"Unless the Lord" builds the house, its builders labor in vain. "Unless the Lord" watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
A Christian Home will be a:
1. Filling Station, for all the Tune Up’s we ALL Need from time to time.
2. Storm shelter, a Secure Fortress, A Refuge for their children.
3. Emergency Room, Always OPEN to take care of whatever emergency arises.
4. Schoolhouse, teaching about life and how to grow up with manners and morality.
5. Worship Center, where spirituality is NOT Only taught but seen in the lives of the parents.
God is THE Priority.
This message for ALL today Rings -LOUD and CLEAR from Joshua
Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom YOU will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for ME and MY Household, We Will Serve the Lord."
Very Thankful today for Mothers that have decided to serve God in their households and raise their children looking to God as a first priority in their lives and using -
"His" Blueprint- To Build a Godly Home.
Sunday May 2nd, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared and Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
@copyright 2021
THE POWER OF THE CROSS
Sermon Prepared and delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
Soldiers are committed to putting the mission before comfort, their comrades before self, and obedience to duty above their personal opinions about the orders they’re given. It’s a lifestyle rooted in discipline, authority structures, and teamwork.
The core elements of soldiering haven’t changed over the centuries. Yes, the technology, equipment, and training have changed; but the basic commitments to obedience, duty, discipline, authority, and teamwork haven’t. So, with that in mind, let’s consider what military life might have looked like for first-century Roman centurions talked about in the New Testament.
The word centurion comes from the Latin term centum, meaning “one hundred.” A centurion was a Roman officer who commanded a hundred men. In the Roman army, centurion was the highest rank an ordinary soldier could achieve. The position was what we know today as a company commander. The centurion typically earned his rank the hard way, and it was a position of prestige and honor, commanding the respect of others. Centurions received a substantial pension at retirement and were viewed as notables in the towns where they lived. The centurions mentioned in the New Testament were men of financial means who contributed to their communities and were respected.
A centurion’s tasks fell into two basic areas. In combat, he was responsible for implementing military strategy and would almost always be leading the charge into battle. Away from the battlefield, he administered discipline in the ranks, mediated interpersonal conflicts among his men, provided security and protection when called upon, supervised police actions in occupied areas, and most notably for our purposes, oversaw executions. Generally, these executions were done by the sword for Roman citizens and by crucifixion for non-Romans.
Several centurions are mentioned in the New Testament. We will look at four this morning to see the degree to which the message and influence of Jesus were crossing social, ethnic, and political lines and barriers.
Let’s start with the Centurion of Capernaum. Matthew 8:5-13 says: Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him pleading with Him saying “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me and I say to this one, ‘go’ and he goes. And to another ‘come’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘do this’ and he does it. When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way, and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
This man came to Jesus on behalf of his servant. He exhibited great submission (calling Jesus “Lord”) and great faith in declaring that he believed that Christ need only say the word and his servant would be made whole. As if this wasn’t remarkable enough, this tough warrior showing deep concern for a mere slave by seeking out the rabbi of Nazareth is utterly amazing.
Next there is the Centurion of Caesarea. The Book of Acts tells us: There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”…While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because of the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Cornelius, a prominent Gentile convert, was a centurion who had dealt kindly with and was appreciated by the Jewish people. Through his exposure to Judaism, his heart had been prepared for the seed of the gospel, and when Peter came to him with the message of the cross, he believed!
And then there is the Centurion of the Shipwreck. We learn this in Acts 27 and 28: And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one name Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment. Nevertheless, the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.”
Julius, the centurion responsible for delivering Paul to Rome for trial, was reluctant to accept the apostle’s counsel at first. During the shipwreck experience, however, he was exposed to the vitality of Paul’s faith and saw the power of God in the miraculous and saved Paul’s life when it was threatened.
Centurions were part of an occupation force – professional soldiers exerting the iron heel of Rome and its subjugation and bondage. The hated Roman conquerors were brutal and swift in their approach to all problems. Yet, according to the Easton’s Bible Dictionary, “The centurions mentioned in the New Testament are uniformly spoken of in terms of praise, whether in the Gospels or in the Book of Acts.”
The ancient Roman historian Polybius noted that centurions were chosen by merit and were remarkable not so much for their daring courage and valor (although those qualities were important) but for their deliberation, constancy, and strength of mind. Regarding these centurions, he wrote, “They must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command, steady in action and reliable; they ought not to be overanxious to rush into the fight, but when hard pressed they must be ready to hold their ground and die at their posts.” In fact, Bible scholar William Barclay concluded, “The centurions were the finest men in the Roman army.”
This historical background sets the stage for the appearance of the Centurion at the cross and for the weight and the credibility of his words.
We read about the Centurion at the Cross in Matthew 27: Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying…”Eli, Eli, Lama sabach thani? That is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. So, when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
What a declaration!
These weren’t quivering words from a frightened recruit or an easily manipulated
conscript. This was the reasoned conclusion of a seasoned veteran who had been
watching men die horrible deaths – and had been putting them to death – for
years.
Some have speculated about what he may have meant. Was this a confession of
faith, or was he just trying to define something outside the scope of his
experience? The answer is found in the context. Obviously, the centurion was
deeply moved by the events he had witnessed, and the declaration of deity is
what followed his observation.
To fully understand the magnitude of the centurion’s words we need to understand the evidence against this declaration and the evidence supporting this declaration.
The evidence against such a declaration was strong indeed. This centurion was aware of the strong condemnation of the Jewish religious leaders that put Jesus on the cross for claiming to be the Son of God. His commander-in-chief, Pontius Pilate, had upheld that claim. But the centurion rejects the condemnation and affirms Jesus’ claim. Why? Because the arguments in favor of Christ’s claim were overwhelming.
Looking at the evidence in support of this declaration, we must remember that this man had likely supervised many crucifixions. Yet there was something extraordinarily different about this one. So, what did he see? There are several events of the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus that give us insight into the centurion’s statement. It’s Jesus’ response, silence, dignity, and mercy as well as Creation’s response that are evident:
Jesus’ response to the injustice that He had been forced to endure at the hands of His own countrymen through the trials is found in Matthew 27: And while He was still speaking, behold Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.’ But Jesus said to him, “How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me” I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled...And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy!! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.” Then they spat on His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck you?”
The dignity with which Jesus responded to the lynch mob that demanded His blood was a sheep, silent before the slaughter. Scripture records no response by Jesus to the mob’s cries but does tell us in Mark 15: But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” So, they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!” So, Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
Jesus’ mercy toward the people who rejected Him and the soldiers that crucified Him, including the centurion, is shown to us in Luke 23:34: The response of Jesus was: “Father forgive them!”. Even as they sat down to gamble for His meager possessions and to watch the gruesome spectacle, Jesus’ concern was for their forgiveness, not His own escape. THAT IS POWERFUL.
And then there’s Creation’s response to the Creator’s sin-bearing act. Matthew records witnesses saw the earthquake and the things that were happening. They saw the sun go dark, felt the power of the earth quaking under their feet, and they saw these supernatural phenomena suddenly end when Jesus gave up His spirit with a loud voice and died.
This centurion was understandably shocked by the significant events that accompanied the death of the Christ. In all his up-close exposure to torture and death, he had never seen such things before, and the impact on him was inescapable.
The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Bible Commentary offers this: “There cannot be a reasonable doubt that this expression [Truly this was the Son of God!] was used in the Jewish sense, and that it points to the claim which Jesus made to be the Son of God, and on which His condemnation expressly turned. The meaning then clearly is that He must have been what He professed to be; in other words, that He was no imposter. There was no medium between those two.”
Bible scholar Dr. Herbert Lockyer writes, “What a remarkable testimony Christ received from this Gentile! How striking was the homage he paid to the crucified One at Golgotha!”
The Centurion at the Cross had seen, heard, and felt all the events of the crucifixion and death of Jesus. As a result, he and his troops “became very frightened.” The centurion and his group of battle-hardened soldiers had learned to cope with fear, but now they experienced sheer terror – not a true reverential fear, but perhaps, as commentator John Gill wrote, the “fear of punishment: lest divine vengeance should light on them for their concern in this matter.”
They had reason to be fearful because there was absolutely nothing ordinary about the significant events they were experiencing.
It was NO ORDINARY EXECUTION. The darkness, the earthquake, and the cry of abandonment from Christ convinced the soldiers that this was no ordinary execution. The events terrified them and probably led them to believe that these things testified to heaven’s wrath. What a realization – they had put God’s Son to death!
It was NO ORDINARY POWER. They didn’t come to this conclusion because of the announcement of some angelic messenger or prophet. Their conclusion came solely from the effect of the power of God on display at Calvary that dark day.
And it was NO ORDINARY CONFESSION. The centurion’s confession tells us something eternally important: Jesus as the promised Messiah and Son of God is seen most clearly in His passion and death. How interesting that the Jewish religious establishment had mocked Him with the title by which a Roman centurion now confessed Him to be.
Matthew Henry wrote: “The dreadful appearances of God in His providence sometimes work strangely for the conviction and awakening of sinners. This was expressed in the terror that fell upon the centurion and the Roman soldiers. Let us, with an eye of faith, behold Christ and Him crucified and be affected with that great love where with He loves us. Never were the horrid nature and effects of sin so tremendously displayed as on that day when the beloved Son of the Father hung upon the Cross, suffering for sin, the Just for the Unjust, that He might bring us to God. Let us yield ourselves willingly to His service.”
Church tradition says this centurion was named Petronius. If he was won to faith in Christ, he came as a pagan and, like the thief on the cross who believed, was saved as Jesus hung on the cross. How simple and basic! All who are saved are saved because of the death of Jesus on the cross. So, the cross began to do its work immediately. And that work has continued for two thousand years!
The preaching of the cross may be foolishness to the world, but to those who are saved it’s the power of God. No wonder Charles Wesley declared in his hymn of praise for the death of Christ, “Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!”
It’s that powerful cross and the love displayed there that moves hearts from death to life – even the hardened, battle-weary heart of a career soldier. There’s an old saying, “The ground is always level at the foot of the cross.” It was in the first century, and it still is today. The foot of the cross is where paupers and princes, religionists and pagans, well-known and unknowns, and yes generals and centurions find level ground to kneel and embrace the Christ who died for them – and for all of us.
The men and women who witnessed the trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus saw more than words can ever express. They heard things that we can only imagine. But what they saw in their lifetime, we see in the Scriptures, and the result is amazingly the same: Though we may not have seen Him physically, we have seen Him through the pages of Scripture and find solid ground for belief. Romans 10:17 explains the phenomenon this way: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the work of Christ.”
“Truly this is the Son of God!” We have heard and we have believed. But it must not end there. We must burn with the passion to know Him – the very passion of the apostle Paul, who wrote in Philippians 3:10 that his life’s goal was “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being confirmed to His death.”
May that same desire burn in our hearts as well, that we might truly know the One who loves us and gave Himself for us.
(adapted from the book Windows on Easter by Bill Crowder)
Sunday April 25th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared and delivered By: C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
Sermon: 4/25/2021
Contributed by Jerry Flury
Message Delivered By: C.Jay McCann
Have you ever been asked...
What's -YOUR Walk -With God Like?
Last month you may Remember a sermon which was delivered to you. We spoke of Elijah being taken up in a whirlwind while he was alive. This was due to the close relationship and Love Elijah had for God.
Enoch also had such a close relationship with God that grew so intimate that he also was taken into heaven without experiencing death.
Genesis 5:22 His epitaph or (phrase / memory of words or description) of Enoch is this-
That He - “Walked With God.
Two men in the Bible stand out as unique; unique because out of the entire scope of Man’s Existence, these two men alone never died.
Elijah and Enoch!
We are told that Enoch had such a close relationship with God that grew so intimate that he was taken to heaven -without experiencing death.
I. Enoch walked with God because he had a true desire to be with God.
A. Genesis 5:21-24 KJV “And Enoch had lived 65- years, and begat Methuselah, and Enoch walked with God. After he begat Methuselah 300 years and begat sons and daughters and all the days of Enoch were 365 years. And Enoch walked with God and he was Not, For God Took Him.”
B. He Walked with God implies: a spiritual mindset.
1. Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection on things above, NOT on things on the earth
2. Enoch had to turn away from the temporal things that tauntingly, tempt us daily and seek to spiritually sidetrack or derail us in our spiritual lives.
3. 1 John 2:15-16 “Do not love the world or the things - in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
4. “In the Christian
life your mind is like the rudder of a ship. Whether the flesh or the
Spirit Controls - The Rudder
That WILL Determine ,The Course your life will take you.”
5. Romans 5:5-8 “For those who live - According to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is HOSTILE to God, for it Does NOT Submit to God's Law;
Indeed, It Cannot.
And that death is Spiritual Death Without God.
This is an Eternal - Daily Choice and Decision- We Choose
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
6. Two -Can Not -walk together if they are moving in two different directions.
7. Amos 3:3 “Can two, walk - together, unless they ARE Agreed?”
C. Walking with God implies, Progress and Growth
1. The very concept of walking; is Movement. It is a forward progression. When a person walks, regardless of how slow he or she may move, does not remain in the same place. Those who Walk With God make spiritual progress in their lives.
2. To “Walk” is used here- as a popular biblical metaphor for our daily lives, the way we conduct ourselves day in and day out.
3. I believe the longer Enoch walked with God, the brighter the light of His presence became as the things of this world grew strangely dim. The beautiful lyrics of that familiar song are not just words nicely placed together with a melody pleasant to the ears...
This is TRULY -The wonderful experience we literally get to enjoy in our lives here and NOW. When we follow Jesus and are in constant communication with our Savior.
..................................................
Turn Your eyes Upon Jesus,
Look Full , In His Wonderful Face,
And The Things - of this world
Will grown strangely dim,
In THE LIGHTof His Glory and Grace!
.......................................................................
4. Psalm 73:23-26 (NLT) “Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, Leading Me- To a glorious destiny. 25 Whom have I in heaven - But you? I desire you more than anything -on earth. 26 My health may fail, and my Spirit - may Grow Weak, BUT God Remains THE STRENGTH -of my Heart; He is mine forever..”
D. Walking with God - Implies a Right Relationship with God.
1. Remember that Amos 3:3 posed the rhetorical question “Can two walk together, - unless they are agreed?”
2. Genesis 5:21-23 “Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. after he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God - three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.”
3. There is an implication here that Enoch - DIDN'T WALK in a manner pleasing to God the first - 65 years of his life. For 65 years, Enoch walked Without God, Doing his own Thing.
It's Amazing- how we also can get caught up with the things of this life and of this world. That Deception comes from the master of lies. I'm sure you've had times, Heck "We ALL Have" When we take the reigns and want to live life our way.
Let me ask? How'd THAT work out for you? I Thank Jesus Christ for Keeping That-door OPEN to ME, There was a time in MY life, where I had walked away from God, due to events in my own life,
Which could have easily ended my life.
That's Satan's Biggest Lie.
For He Places that burden of BLAME- ON -YOU!!
Brothers & Sisters, Jesus IS ALIVE and IS Living Inside of YOU! What people call instinct: That pulling at YOUR heartstring, that feeling of OVERWHELMING Emotion, Love, JOY. When we stray from Our Father, we are choosing to turn away from our heavenly father, and that is not the path HE wants for us.
God won't follow YOU into Un-Rightiousness.
I can ASSURE You,
HE IS WAITING for YOUR RETURN with OPEN Arms.
We don’t know what happened BUT when Enoch became a father "Something Took Place" - That Made Him Realize HE needed to turn his life over to the Lord and walk hand in hand in Constant Communion with God. HIS HEARTSTRING was being tugged.
That's God's Calling!!!
Sixty five years of his life were wasted Enoch Woke Up- Because -He LISTENED and RESPONDED and spent the next 300 years reconciled with God.
Life Changing Experience
4. Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you - therefore, brethren, by The Mercies of God, that YOU Present Your Bodies a Living Sacrifice, Holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And Do NOT BE-
Conformed to this world, But be -Transformed - ( HOW??) - by the Renewing of
YOUR mind,
that YOU may - prove what is - "That Good - and Acceptable -and Perfect will of
God.” We are given the Holy Spirits Power to Be Transformed
5. God does not force "a walk" with Him on anyone!
But when we say - YES To
Him, Walking with God means abandoning -the World’s Way, and giving up our right
to choose our own way-which leads to DESTRUCTION and following...God’s Way.
II. Enoch Walked By Faith
A. Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: -Taken Him- for before his translation- he had this testimony, That he pleased God.”
This use of the word Translate: Is that Enoch was taken- moved from earth to heaven without dieing. Did you hear that "HE Had" in there... Enoch Already had COMPLETE, Trust and Focus
*What is Faith: It's IS Complete TRUST / CONFIDENCE in, Someone or Something -you can't See.. Yet You-KNOW it Exsist's.
"God-
Restores and Enforces
Faith" through your trust and confidence - IN HIM."
Friends, There IS POWER in HIS Word
-We Surely Serve A- MIGHTY - GOD
Who is more than able and capable to take care of our every need.
Don't Limit Yourself -
From What God Has Prepared for YOU!!
You are Made in the Image of Christ- and CAN Do ALL THINGS!!!
B. When we Walk -By - Faith we are placing - All of our TRUST in Him and we constantly seek to honor him by obeying His Word and doing those things that please Him.
A Perfect Example of Walking By Faith:
Our own Pastor Don, He is going through the trial of his life. However, Don is constantly and consistently witnessing to everyone he meets sharing His Faith, All the while in FAITH- through this trial. The Lord has GREATLY Blessed Our Pastor, Christ's Church here at Port Monmouth Community and continues to bless and anoint our congregation - ( our Family in Christ's Love ) and as christan's in strong faith.
We KNOW and UNDERSTAND -That God Does NOT and WILL NOT Forsake US.
He has given us clear instructions as to how we are to handle ALL-situations in our own lives and as a Church Family.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath NOT Given Us - The Spirit of Fear; But of POWER and of LOVE, and of a sound Mind.
Romans 5:3-4 Not only so, But we also glory -in our Sufferings,
Because WE KNOW -that Suffering Produces, Perseverance, perseverance, Character;
and Character, HOPE.
There's That Word.. HOPE!!
Blessed HOPE
Oh my precious .. Family of God, That's Something to SHOUT About!!
There is ALWAYS HOPE - Through Jesus Christ our Loving , Living -Personal Lord and Savior.
C. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we - Walk by Faith, NOT - Sight!.”
It is saying - that we -
NO Longer are relying on our judgment, doing what we want, Following - Our own
dreams,
Fulfilling - Our own desires or worrying about a cancer diagnosis that we have
Absolutely
No Control Over.
Rather we are walking- IN Complete Reliance & ASSURANCE - on God
KNOWING He Knows What Is Best For Us -
Our Only true happiness and fulfillment in this life is To Be - Following Him
Unreservedly - Unrestricted
Prayer Is: God's Wireless Connection with Our Father!
Believe That and Watch- How God Responds in YOUR Life, your Marriage, your Friendships, or diagnosis.
But Most Importantly With Your Relationship with Jesus Himself
D.
Hebrews 11:6 “But without Faith, It is
Impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that HE IS a
Rewarder / Redeemer of them that diligently Seek Him. Anyone who wants to Come
to Him must believe that God Exisits,
And that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him."
E. Walking By Faith - Means -
LIVING Life - In The light of Eternal Consequences. To walk by faith is to Fear God more than man; To obey His word even when it conflicts with man’s commands; to -Choose Righteousness- What's- RIGHT-PURE-DEVINE - Over Sin,
NO - Matter What The Cost;
TRUSTING God -In EVERY "Circumstance; " and to believe God Rewards those who seek Him, regardless of who says otherwise.
Watch for those blessings to pour out in His Favor.
........................................................
As we conclude this message:
III. Enoch walked consistently by Faith
A. Genesis 5:21-23
“Enoch lived sixty five years, and begot Methuselah. after he begot Methuselah,
Then: ENOCH -WALKED WITH GOD- THREE HUNDRED YEARS!”
There's That Transformation
B. Enoch walked - In INTIMACY with God -for 300 years. Most of us have a hard time staying close to the Lord for 300 days!
C. A brief, simple, But Expressive Eulogy was pronounce by Martin Luther upon a pastor in Zwickau Germany in 1522 named Nicholas Haussmann. “What WE preach, - He Lived,” said the Great Reformer.
Can That- Be Said of US?
D. The ONLY Way that you and I can lLive consistently is by surrendering daily. God see's everything, There is NO Place we Go without Him Knowing our Every Thought or Deed.
Does He Still Feel The Nails? - Every Time I Fail?
We must be ever mindful of our actions daily. How many times must HE be crucified until WE UNDERSTAND.
We Must Take Up Our Cross, and Follow Him.
E. 1 Corinthians
15:21 NLT
"So you see, just as death ;came into the world through a man, now the
resurrection from the dead -has begun through another man."
“I die daily.”
F. The DEATH - HE (Paul) talks about is a Continuous - Present - Tense.
It’s a CHOICE - I must make - Every Day of my Life to Die to my Own Desires, Rights, Wishes and Decisions for the sake of -
Bringing Fruit - for The kingdom of God.
It's your Enternal Choice
There Is No shortcut and No Other Way.
G. Christ calls us to pick up your cross daily. Someone has rightly said that we just don‘t make this decision once and then sit on it. Daily we are called to make choices and decide whether we will keep following Christ and do things according to His will and way, or do we choose things without Him and do them our own way. Let me tell you, I've tried doing things my way many a times when I was young in my faith. My earthly father use to say at times:
Let me know how that
works out for you!
He was so right.
It's Humbling to fall to Your Knee's
Why?
Because That's Really Were -It ALL STARTS
H. Frank Sinatra sang a song, “I Did It My Way”.
Enoch’s song was and IS “I’ll Do It - point-up - His Way
A.W. Tozer said: “Enoch's daily walk was a walk of faith, a walk of fellowship with God.
What the Scriptures are trying to say to us - is this:
If Enoch could live and walk with God by faith in the midst of his sinful generation, We likewise are fully capable to follow His Example.
God is "SO" Faithful.
Oh, Yeah, When Things are going GREAT..
We are on TOP of That Mountain- It Comes off the lips so... EASY. God Is Great!
BUT When the Bottom FALLS - OUT from underneath us,
and it will. Give it
time!
A Death of a family member, Mom, Dad, Sibling,a bad Diagnosis (pastor Don), a
Job Loss, Where is God In our valley?
It IS Truly Then, All The MORE...When God wants to Hear -YOU - SING!
He wants that communication with us. That's Faith!!!
Communicating is talking to God and Telling Him
"I - TRUST - YOU"
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the Same Yesterday, and Today and Forever.
Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, The beginning and the end, saith the Lord, which IS, which WAS and which IS To Come. The Almighty!"
Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed You in the womb, I Knew You, and before you were
born, I consecrated You, I appointed You a prophet to the nations.
2 Timothy: "He
who Saved us and called us to a Holy calling, Not because of our works, but
because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Jesus Christ before
the ages began.
He Knew Us Before Time Eternal!!!
IV. Enoch’s Faith - was evidenced and validated by God
A. Hebrews 11:5 NIV “By Faith - Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death, He could not be found, because God had taken him away. Before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God: For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God."
B. Enoch’s life and words - Stood as a Testimony or clear witness for God before a corrupt vile world.
C. He was RARE -
Enoch was not Conformed to the world and Enoch was not Controlled By The World.
ARE YOU RARE??
Does your walk with God - Stand OUT in the midst of the world You are living in DAILY ?
E. God’s desire is that through our walk with Him as the children of God we might be without Fault -in the midst of a crooked and Perverse Generation, among whom we shine as lights in the world.”
(Philippians 2:15)
F. Enoch Stood out and was commended as someone -who walked with God.
G. Is The validity of your faith Evident by Your Walk?
H. Your walk and talk go hand in hand.
One of the evidences that your Faith is Real -Is a desire to keep God's commandments. If there’s no desire to do what God says, One might have good reason to question - WHERE -they are in their relationship with God. If On the other hand, you have a deep burning desire to walk with God and to Live according to His Will and His Word and you strive To DEMONSTRATE that in your daily living your life, will validate and give clear testimony to the Genuine ness -of your faith.
"God Wants To hear You Sing!
(Sung By: Greater Vision)
Sunday April 18th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
THE VICTORY OF CALVARY
(Taken from “For This He Came,” )
By Bill Crowder
Sermon Delivered By: Wanda Wohlin
The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death” which makes death an ultimate reality. It entered the world because of the disobedience of our ancient parents in a garden of glory and to this day continues to hover over fallen humanity like a dark specter (seen in the Grim Reaper) that we cannot escape. When Jesus came into the world to redeem a fallen human race, He had to do something unimaginable – He had to kill death. He had to kill death dead. And making it even more unimaginable, Jesus had to kill death dead by dying. That was what the cross was all about – killing death. The Son of God took sin’s penalty so that the guilty could go free; the wages of sin – death – have been dealt with and resolved. The resurrection of Christ stands to declare it.
This morning we will explore the depth of that amazing truth through the experience of Mary Magdalene who was a witness to the victory of the cross by bearing witness to the empty tomb. Her rescue declares life and hope and victory for all of us as well.
The followers of Jesus had experienced an unbearable period of darkness with the shock of Jesus’ arrest and trials, the brutality of the crucifixion, and the fear that they were next. All of it had driven them into hiding. The disciples had been devastated and their sensibilities had been shaken by the death of the Master. That’s what death does – it shakes us.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (along with Salome and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward) felt the need to do something as they made their way to the tomb of Jesus. Helpless to do anything but grieve, they had found a final way to express their love and devotion to the Christ. In their haste to beat the Sabbath deadline, the burial party had not prepared the body of Jesus as thoroughly as possible. With their arms loaded with spices and embalming supplies, they left early in the morning to go to the tomb and finish the burial ceremony.
It’s fitting that Mary of Magdalene should be there. In these events she becomes our guide and proxy as she stands in our place to bear witness of the events that would reshape the world. But who was she?
The reputation of Mary Magdalene suffered over the years from a kind of “mistaken identity,” through many media efforts. From The Last Temptation of Christ to The DaVinci Code, she has been taken from a true worshiper of Christ to that of an alleged lover. Add to that the fact that for years, film presentations of the life of Christ have followed traditions that presented Mary Magdalene in one way, and one way only – a prostitute. It’s important to note that there is absolutely no biblical evidence to support such a representation. This woman was much more than amoral glorified groupie. She was a true believer – and privileged beyond all others! What we do know of her is found in her conversion in Luke 8:1-3:
Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, (2) and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities – Mary call Magdalene out of whom had come sever demons, (3) and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.
So, Mary was of Magdala. Magdala was a region east of the Jordan River in the lower Galilee, probably not far from the chief city of Tiberias, which is believed to have had many villages, any of which Mary might have called home. And she had been possessed by no fewer than seven demons! She lived under the torment and control of these fallen angels who had possessed her body. The Gospels show many accounts of the horrible lives of people possessed of demons. Finally, Mary was rescued. Jesus found her in this terrible condition and had exercised the power of heaven to set her free. Her life was instantly changed. In response to this change, she became a devoted follower of Christ who not only talked the talk, but she also walked the walk. She supported the ministry of Jesus and His disciples. Her life, values, and priorities all had been changed, radically transformed by the grace of Jesus.
In Luke 7:47 Jesus said that the one forgiven much, loves much so it’s no surprise that Mary did not want to be separated from the One who had rescued her from the depth of demonic oppression. To the end she was faithful when Jesus’ disciples (apart from John) had abandoned Him. John 19:25 tells us “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Her devotion didn’t fade nor did her love cool. Even at the cross, though heartbroken and devastated, Mary Magdalene stayed right there, witnessing the brutality and horrors of the Cross and suffering of Jesus while most of the disciples were in hiding. She couldn’t walk away but rather was compelled to stay because this was where the Christ was – and she had to be with Him. Watching, suffering, wondering, weeping. Nothing could describe the deep sadness of the hearts of these women as Jesus yielded His spirit to the Father. We sing a hymn that expresses Mary’s love for Christ:
O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul on Thee; I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depts its flow May richer, fuller be.
The love of Jesus that redeemed Mary held her in its wonderful, devoted grip. And even at His death, that love would not let her go.
Mark 15:47 tells us: Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid. Nothing could drive Mary Magdalene and the other women from the side of their fallen Lord as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea performed the grim and grisly task of removing the body of Jesus from the cross. Faithfully they followed the mournful little procession as they made their way from the Place of the Skull to the tomb – purchased by the Arimathean for his own burial but now given to the Lord he loved. They watched as the spices and wrappings were hastily applied to complete the burial before sundown – and the beginning of Shabbat. These women were there every step and their deep love for Christ overshadowed the danger of publicly identifying themselves with an executed “criminal.”
Mary of Magdala becomes to us the very image of grief. As the darkness of night deepens to match the darkness of the sorrow in her heart, she sat by the grave – her heart filed with unanswered questions such as:
How could the One who commanded demons die at the hands of mere men?
How could the One who gave her life lay lifeless in a tomb?
How could the One who had brough light to her heart now be darkened by death?
Yet even in the darkness and gloom of grief, there existed the brightness of hope – hope in the One who had rescued her and redeemed her life. Even the nature of these questions calls for answers that go beyond our natural points of reference. As the hymn continues, it carries the promise of that hope:
O joy that sleekest me thro’ pain, I cannot close my heart to thee; I trace the rainbow thro’ the rain, And feel the promise is not vain. That morn shall tearless be.
Firsts are always notable: Babies first tooth, first word, first steps. However, Mary Magdalene is, arguably, the most significant “first” in human history! After the days of darkness, knowing that her Lord of life was buried in a tomb, she’s the first at the gravesite, and she will be the first to see the risen Savior! She comes broken hearted, but with a devotion that surpasses even the apparent certainty of death. It’s important that we see that Mary had not come believing but hurting. She had not come with a sense of anticipation, but with brokenness and grief. Yet what she lacked in understanding she made up for with love and faithfulness and on that first resurrection morning, she would learn in a wonderful new way the truths of two Old Testament Scriptures:
Proverbs 8:17: I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.
Psalm 30:5: …Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Mary arrived at the tomb and found it empty. Fearing grave robbers, she ran to tell the disciples what she found. Then following Peter and John, she returned to the tomb to mourn. The death she had witnessed had been disturbing; the disappearance of the body was even more distressing. Peter and John left to return to the rest of disciples, but Mary sat at the tomb and mourned the loss of the body of Jesus – and the loss of what must have seemed like her last opportunity to serve the savior. But as she mourned, the unthinkable happened -- she encountered the risen Lord!
John 20:11-16 says: Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb (12) And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. (13) Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” (14) Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus (15) Jesus said to her “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sr, if you have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” (16) Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni” (which is to say Teacher.)
It’s highly significant that the risen Christ first appeared to a woman. In first-century Israel, women were generally viewed as being of low value and considered of little or no importance – but not to Jesus! He valued women and treated them with a dignity and honor that the world of that day would have found shocking. Mary, broken hearted by her loss, wept at the side of the tomb – at first oblivious to the presence of two angels! As she looked into the tomb where the body had laid, through her tears, saw them! Their appearance was fascinating, for they were seated at either end of the burial slab. They responded to her weeping and her only though was that they might know where Christ had been taken. The depth of her love, measured by the depth of her grief, saw only the sorrow and loss – not the amazing reality of the angelic beings before her.
When she turned away from them, there before her was Jesus Himself! Perhaps it was her grief that blinded her eyes to His identity for, she assumed He was the caretaker of the garden and pleaded for information about the location of the body.
In the most tender of moments, Jesus called her name, and she immediately recognized Him. She was shocked with joy! As Christ had taught in John 10, the Shepherd calls His sheep by name, and they know His voice. This is the Shepherd calling His sheep by name tenderly, but with the authority of One who has conquered death. Powerfully, lovingly, gently, He says her name as it has neve been spoken before: “Mary!”
She faced Him and as she saw Him, she turned from death to life; from grief to joy; from despair to belief. She responded “Rabboni” – teacher, master the equivalent of “my dear Lord,” the title only a believer can utter about Christ. Her emotional roller coaster had settled into peaceful calm. She had seen Jesus alive. Mary of Magdala, once demon possessed, but now set free; once grieving, but now joyful, was the first person to see the risen Christ. For the first time in days, darkness had been overtaken by light. Death had been killed dead by the resurrection of Christ.
Events in history are viewed as credible or false based on the integrity and character of the witnesses. Witnesses state the facts of what they saw and how it felt. It’s a wonderful blessing to know that the resurrection of Christ has many witnesses! Over five hundred people saw the risen Christ at one time in only one of several post resurrection events. The testimony of those witnesses and others, as well as the witness of two thousand years of changed lives, declares that Jesus Christ is risen. Mary Magdalene was but one of those witnesses – but she was the first: In John 20:18 we are told: Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
Not only was she the first to see, she was the first to tell. Mary Magdalene was richly privileged because she deeply loved. She ran back to the disciples and did what we are now to do – she told what she saw, and she told how it felt. He is alive, and because of that we have life forever more! Joy has come where weeping had endured, for Jesus was – and is yet today – alive!
For two thousand years, men and women, boys, and girls have stood up -- for many on pain of death – to be witnesses of Christ. We’re invited to join them in this grand, eternity-transforming enterprise of telling people of the risen Christ. Like Mary, our call is to go into the world and tell what has happened in our lives because of Jesus conquered death. Like Mary, we aren’t called to eloquence, brilliance, or cleverness. We’re called to tell what has happened and how it felt.
Jesus kept His word and provided the rescue He had promised. In fulfilling His mission, He did the impossible by taking dead people and making them living persons. This is the victory of calvary. The victory of love and the victory of life-changing grace is secured and made possible by the love that holds us in its arms and won’t let go.
It was George Matheson who wrote the hymn, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.” He wrote: “My hymn was composed in the manse of Innelan (Argyleshire, Scotland) on the evening of the 6th of June 1882, when I was 40 years of age. I was alone in the manse at the time. It was the night of my sister’s marriage, and the rest of the family were staying overnight in Glasgow. Something happened to me, which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. The hymn was the fruit of that suffering. It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the impression of having it dictated to me by some inward voice rather than of working it out myself. I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and equally sure that it never received at my hands any retouching or correction. I have no natural gift of rhythm. All the other verses I have ever written are manufactured articles, this came like a dayspring from on high.”
That is the heart of George Matheson, and it is the heart of Mary Magdalene as well.
Her identity may have been misrepresented over the years, but her witness is clear, and her devotion is unmistakable. It’s a declaration of the glory of the cross and the power of the resurrection. It’s the wonder of the Christ and what He does to change one single individual, which is eternal life. And that is the pulse of the powerful witness Mary gives of the Savior who died and rose again that we could have forgiveness and life. Matheson’s hymn ends with:
O Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee; I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground their blossoms red. Life that shall endless be.
Life that shall endless be. Not death – life. May we, like Mary Magdalene, go to be living witnesses of the living Lord Jesus Christ who killed death dead so we could live alive.
Sunday April 18th, 2021 Shared By: Pastor Donald Magaw |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
This sermon was written by T.T. Crabtree but I thought I would share it with you.
Pastor Donald Magaw
Title: Until Jesus Comes, Be Witnesses
Text: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Scripture Reading: Acts 1:6–12
Jesus’ earthly ministry was now complete! He was born of a virgin, lived a blameless life, died a vicarious death, and arose from the grave with a glorified body. He had been on earth for forty days since his resurrection “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). He was now ready to return to heaven. The Mount of Olives, just outside the eastern wall of Jerusalem, served as an ideal location from which to view God’s City of Peace. Jesus chose it as the place from which to give his final promise to come again and for his ascension into heaven.
The disciples were curious about the future. When asked about a coming kingdom, Jesus pushed that into the background to give an urgent command for his followers, in that day and every day, to major on telling the world about the Savior. He used the word witness, which is from another noun meaning “martyr.” In the days of Jesus, and those that followed soon after, to be a Christian witness could mean death. In certain parts of the world, it is still dangerous to proclaim the message of Christ. In fact, to be a genuine witness is not easy in any civilization. Certain requirements are necessary. Let us look at three of them.
A witness must know something.
Go to a courtroom and look at a witness on the stand. What is the first requirement? A witness must be certain of the facts, else there is no need for him to appear in court. If the witness says, when asked a question, “I think—” immediately the opposing attorney will arise and say, “I object, Your Honor! We are not interested in what this witness thinks. We’re only interested in what he knows.” The judge will then sustain the objection.
What is the first qualification for a witness of Jesus Christ? He or she must know something! Paul certainly did. He said, “I know whom I have believed” (2 Tim. 1:12) A great Christian of another generation was asked on his eighty-sixth birthday how he felt toward the next life now that he had reached such an advanced age. He replied, “I have naturally been thinking much of that during recent years. I have stood in the shadow of bereavement many times and sought to comfort sorrowing hearts. Now in my declining days, I can say, I am not half so sure what the future life is as I was forty years ago. But I’m twice as sure that it is.” How true! As we grow older, the details of heaven—that is, what type of place it will be—are not nearly as important as the certainty we have that “[our] Father’s house has many rooms” (John 14:2 NIV). We can have a steadfast hope of a home in heaven if we know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
What about your knowledge of the Savior? A good witness must know something!
A witness must say something.
Every once in a while we read of a witness coming along years after a crime who has a testimony that frees a prisoner from jail. If this person had been a witness at the trial, the prisoner never would have been convicted. This person knew facts but didn’t tell them! As a result, the prisoner was convicted unjustly.
To know about Jesus and fail to tell others is criminal! What if somebody knew the remedy for cancer or AIDS and kept quiet? No logical argument nor eloquent persuasive oratory can turn the world upside down; only the simple testimony that Jesus is Savior and Lord can do that. Many stories have been told of tragedies in people’s lives because of undelivered messages. The greatest tragedy, however, is that many people have never been saved simply because a Christian failed to speak the proper words at the proper time.
Our failure to ask
someone if he or she would like to become a Christian may be the only reason
that person does not become saved. John D. Rockefeller Sr. played golf with a
dear friend of his in the insurance business. One day the friend heard that
Rockefeller had taken out a life insurance policy for one million dollars. When
he saw the wealthy man, he asked, “Why didn’t you let me write the insurance
policy for you?” Rockefeller replied, “Why didn’t you ask me to let you?” Many
people never become Christians simply because good people who know Jesus as
Savior and could testify concerning him simply fail to tell a lost friend about
Jesus.
A good witness must be something.
A famous skeptic who was called the spiritual father of Nazism nearly became a Christian at one time. While he was trying to make the decision, he decided to live among Christian people to see what Christians were like. He is reported to have said, “These Christians will have to look a lot more redeemed before I believe in it.” Gandhi attended a Christian school and was disillusioned. He is believed to have said, “I would have been a Christian if it had not been for Christians.” Of course we cannot always accept at full face value such statements from non-Christians as the true reason for their failure to receive Christ. But there is enough truth in such an indictment to make us examine our way of life.
In the courtroom a
witness may know something and say something, but if the opposing attorney has
evidence that the witness is not a person of integrity, the attorney can present
the facts to the court and make an impassioned plea to throw out the testimony.
Likewise, all of our verbose vocalizings will be like “sounding brass or a
tinkling cymbal” unless our lives are consistent with our testimony.
The first call is for us to become Christians! Until we have been born again, we
begin at no beginning and work toward no end. If you are not a Christian, become
one today!
New birth, however, is but the first step of the Christian life. In the ultimate sense, our Christian experience includes the totality of our relationship and fellowship with Jesus from the moment we receive him as Savior until the day we receive our resurrected body at his second coming. If you are a Christian, be a witness. Seek to be wise as you testify, but do not fail to let others know, both through lip and life, that Jesus is your all in all. Many things make us grow, but the fruit of a Christian in the most real sense is another Christian!
Sunday April 11th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: How Much Do You Love Jesus?
Text: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15 RSV).
Scripture Reading: John 21:1–17
The Sea of Galilee is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Even today you can board a ship at Tiberias, take the short trip to Capernaum, and feel that you are living in biblical times. The angel had promised on the resurrection morning that Jesus would meet his disciples in Galilee. That promise had been fulfilled, at least for seven of the disciples, who had been fishing all night without success until Jesus came.
Breakfast was over! Jesus had provided everything, as he always does when we have a need. He had told his disciples where to cast their nets for fish, had prepared a fire of coals on which to cook the fish, and, from some source, had secured bread.
Jesus focused the “after breakfast” conversation on one thing. In one sense, he was speaking to all the group even though he directed his words to Simon Peter. Scholars have had a problem with the grammatical construction of Jesus’ question to Peter. Exactly what did Jesus mean by the expression, “Do you love me more than these?” Three suggestions have been made.
“Do you love me more than your fellow disciples do?”
A short time before Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Simon Peter had boasted that his loyalty was greater than that of his peers. As they went out to the Mount of Olives after observing the first memorial supper, Jesus said to the group, “All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad”
(Matt. 26:31).
Peter answered first, as he usually did, saying, “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended” (26:33). Perhaps Peter did not mean to boast but was rather seeking to assure the Savior of his loyalty. But that’s not the way it came across! Without realizing what he was saying, Peter was letting the others know that even though their faith may be weak, he would never fail to trust his Master completely and serve him without compromise or disloyalty.
This question comes to us in our day. How strong is your love when compared or contrasted with the love of other Christians? Of course, let it be said immediately that we are not in competition with our fellow Christians as to who is the best servant of Jesus. Such an attitude is entirely unchristian if it causes us to develop a critical spirit toward others and a comparison of faults and virtues. This can make us almost pharisaical in our approach to Christian consecration. Yet the question is worth asking! Are you only a nominal Christian? Or are you known among your friends as one whose loyalty to Jesus is far above the minimal standard?
Almost every church has at least two groups of people. First, there are those who merely belong. Perhaps they are saved, but they are not showing by their fruits any evidence of a deep love for Jesus. They more or less hang on for the ride but cannot be depended on to witness or serve in any effective way. On the other hand, there is the inner circle, the nucleus, that bears the load. Which group are you in?
“Do you love me more than you love other people?”
There were six others with Jesus and Peter. What about Simon’s love for Jesus as compared with his love for his fellow friends?
Peter must have been a man of influence, for he was the one Jesus chose to be the leader of the Twelve. That influence was demonstrated when one day he said to his friends, “I go a-fishing.” They replied, “We also go with thee” (John 21:3). No doubt, Peter enjoyed his leadership of the group. All of them may have become disillusioned. They probably had not seen Jesus since his second appearance in the upper room when he had revealed himself to Thomas in such an expressive way. Jesus had accepted the challenge of showing the scars left by the nails and allowing Thomas to thrust his hand into the side that had been wounded. Perhaps the disciples had asked themselves, “Was it all real, or was it some sort of dream we had?”
Peter’s decision to go fishing was more than getting away for a few hours; he was ready to return to his old job. Now Jesus came and showed Peter once again his divine person and his need for Peter to be a part of his redemptive plan. But Jesus said that Peter needed to love him more than he loved his friends. Even if Peter’s friends deserted him, he must determine to follow Jesus.
Some questions come to us. What do you love the most? The applause of the crowd or the approval of the Savior? Will peer pressure cause you to compromise your faith? Is there a price tag on your dedication? One great Christian hymn writer told how, as a young man, he faced the decision of drinking an alcoholic beverage at a party. He watched others, whom he thought to be strong Christians, drink freely. He realized he must make a decision when the offer came to him. He chose one young lady nearby as his model and said to himself, “Whatever she does, I will do.” She smiled sweetly and turned her glass upside down when the host came to her. After that, it was easy for him to refuse to drink. He later married that fine girl, and they served the Lord faithfully for many years. But suppose she had yielded; would this have been an excuse for him? We must love Jesus more than we love anyone else. And we must never allow another person to come between us and our Savior.
“Do you love me more than these ‘things’ that are near you?”
The most likely interpretation of our text is that Jesus pointed to the fishing nets and other equipment used in the trade as he asked Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” The real test of a Christian is when he or she is confronted with the matter of personal priorities. The problem of “things” and making a living is always with us!
Nowhere does the Bible condemn anyone for striving to earn the necessities of life for oneself and one’s family. Only when this labor gets out of hand and becomes top priority does it become wrong. Paul said, “If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8). The Bible warns us, however, about majoring on the material things of life.
One of our greatest spiritual needs today is, in the words of a modern writer, “to defy the tyranny of the tangible.” What are the “real things” in life? Are they those that can be seen and handled? No! These things can fade away in a moment. But you cannot tear away the spiritual truths or concepts behind them. You can burn a book, but you can’t burn an idea. You can destroy a bridge, but you can’t destroy the concept of a bridge. What is the true cause of an automobile? Is it the assembly with all its automated machines? No, you must look deeper into the personal purposes of the manufacturers and the buying public. How we need to be liberated from the enslaving power of things!
What do you love the
most? Things or spiritual principles? Answer that question realistically and you
will give a correct evaluation of yourself as a Christian. Years ago an
outstanding preacher make a statement that should never forgotten. He said, in
contrasting Abraham and Lot, that Abraham was the kind of man who, if his
business interfered with his religion, gave up his business, while Lot was the
kind of man who, if his religion interfered with his business, gave up his
religion. Do you love Jesus more than the “things” that are constantly around
you in daily living?
The three questions are self-explanatory. No application or summary is needed.
Rather, we need to look at ourselves realistically and face honestly the
question of our love for Jesus. After all has been said and done, the true
motivation for service is love. If we love, we serve. If we do not love, we do
not serve. If we are not serving, it is because we do not love Jesus enough. The
answer for more dedication on the part of Christians is for each of us to have a
greater devotion to the living Savior.
Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). I had the job of plowing a field once, it required me to keep looking straight ahead if I wanted to keep the rows in line. If I looked back, the rows would all be all over the place. It requires no strength of character to quit, to give up your faith, to renounce your allegiance to Christ and his church. Anybody can quit. Are you an apostate? Have you given up living for Christ?
This is the question you need to ask yourself.
Sunday April 4th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: Hell’s Most Horrible Hypothesis
Text: “If Christ be not risen . . .” (1 Cor. 15:14).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:10–20
One of Paul’s greatest strategies was to anticipate the argument of his opponent and then answer it. To the Romans he wrote, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1–2). To the Galatians he wrote, “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law” (Gal. 3:21). Writing to the Corinthians, Paul anticipated an argument that, had it been valid, would have destroyed the foundation of the Christian faith. Some in that sophisticated city were saying there was no such thing as a resurrection from the dead. This was, of course, one of the cardinal differences between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The former held tenaciously to the supernatural and thus accepted the fact of a resurrection. The Sadducees, borrowing their worldly wisdom from the Greeks, had “thrown in the towel” and given up any hope for a life to come.
With his keen logical mind, Paul saw that if there was no such thing as a resurrection of the dead, then the glorious news that Christ is alive must be labeled as false and untrustworthy. What would that do to the Christian faith? The worst possible thing!
For the sake of discussion, Paul posed an assumption to the Corinthian Christians. What if the worst possible thing that can be said about Jesus is true? Let’s look at it! One authority defines a hypothesis as “a tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical . . . consequences.” Paul presented the most horrible hypothesis that hell could ever manufacture in order to set the scene for an examination of the consequences, thus testing the validity of such a claim.
Our personal faith and witnessing is meaningless—if Christ is not risen.
Think for a moment of the great preachers who have lived through the centuries—Spurgeon in London, Moody in America, David Livingstone in Africa, Billy Sunday in America All of these men were fools, duped by their own egos, wasting their lives. In more recent years, Billy Graham’s crusades were and now Franklin Graham festivals are not only a waste of time and money, but a propagation of false doctrine. These terrible things are true unless the historical fact of the resurrection is true.
Every effort that we have made to win the lost to Christ has been only foolishness and vanity unless Christ arose from the dead. We have received no true forgiveness because the price for our redemption has not been paid. For, you see, the resurrection of Christ was the one event by which God placed his approval on the atonement. Our loved ones who have gone on before are not asleep in Christ but have gone out into a dark and empty nothingness. We are of all people most miserable if Christ is not risen.
But wait a moment.
This horrible dream is not true! The nightmare is ended! Christ is risen! The grave could not contain him. The enemies of Christ could not prevent God’s acting in power. Some who crucified him seem to have had more faith in his resurrection than some of his followers. They said, “Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first” (Matt. 27:64). Why did they do this? Perhaps not so much that they feared the disciples, but they were afraid Jesus was actually telling the truth and had power to perform his words!
Jesus did arise! Two scholars who were devout skeptics determined to destroy Christianity by research. One chose the conversion of Paul and the other the resurrection of Jesus. After months of honest study and investigation, each confessed he had become a Christian. The one who investigated the resurrection of Jesus said, “All the evidence vindicates the claim. No doubt about it, Jesus arose.”
The purpose of this message is not to prove but to proclaim. Others have proved. Read their works, study the evidence, but then remember one thing: you cannot be saved by believing with your head. You must accept the truth with your heart, which means full commitment to the resurrected Christ.
Do you have the “burning heart”?
Luke recorded the conversation between Jesus and two disciples on the Emmaus road. At first they did not recognize Jesus, but later, after he had revealed himself to them and then disappeared, they said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). When the resurrection is accepted by faith, a power comes into our lives that is possible no other way. It is this “burning heart” that sends missionaries across the sea and that inspires men and women to “count all things but loss” for service in God’s kingdom. Christianity is founded on the resurrection of Christ. Unless he arose, we have no motive for going into all the world and preaching the gospel.
Jesus did arise! The evidence is irrefutable. His death on the cross was a public event known to everyone. Paul said to King Agrippa, “This thing was not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26). In a short time, the news of Jesus’ death and resurrection spread over the known world. Do you have this burning heart? If so, you can say with the unknown person who wrote the following:
Fear not to take your place
With Jesus on the throne,
And bid the powers of hell and earth
His sovereign scepter own.
Your full redemption’s rights
With holy boldness claim,
And to its utmost fullness prove
The power of Jesus’ name.
Even those who have been skeptical of religion feel a tug when a crisis comes.
When we face the issue of life and death, the flame is fanned. If we will accept the fact of the resurrection and receive as personal Savior the one who arose, the flame can burst forth into a dynamic fire.
The Satanic hypothesis is not true! The satanic forces have done their best to persuade the world, but the evidence is irrefutable. Earth’s blackest day, Calvary, and earth’s brightest day, the resurrection, were just three days apart. Jesus went for a short time into the realm of death that he might come back forever as Lord of life.
An author who traveled in the East tells of a night in the desert. There was no sign of inhabited land, only desert sand. That night a man slipped out of the camp and returned the next morning with a fresh green blade of rice. During those three days and nights that Jesus was in the tomb, the land was desolate. Jesus slipped out into the dark black night and brought back the fresh green of life eternal. This was no accident! God acted in history! Death took hold of the manhood of Jesus and killed him. God took hold of death, and death died! Christ is the first-fruits of those who sleep. Because he has arisen, we, too, will arise with new and glorious bodies!
Seek ye the Lord?
Search not the cold and empty tomb;
He is not linked with night and gloom;
He is not bound by death and strife:
His name is Light and Love and Life!
He lives; Is risen; Go find ye then
The Living Lord—in the hearts of men!
M. Ethel Anderson
Hell’s most horrible hypothesis fails the test of experience and validity.
The resurrection is true! Jesus is alive!
Go tell it on the mountain!
PRAISE GOD HE LIVES!!!!!
Sunday March 28th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
This sermon is based on an outline by Rev. Crabtree
Title: Trust God with Yourself
Text: “Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 23:39–49
Never did people look upon a scene more ghastly, both in physical horror and in moral atrocity, than when the Sinless One was put to death by brutality and bigotry. To the world, the death of Christ spoke of utter defeat. Realistically, however, this event combined with Jesus’ resurrection brought forth the greatest victory the world has ever seen.
These last words of Jesus are perhaps interpreted by some as a parting wrench of pain. Actually, they were not only a prayer of relief at the mercy offered by death, but also a cry of joyful victory that Jesus had endured to the end and completely fulfilled his redemptive mission.
Most, perhaps all, people die as they live.
The last words people speak on this earth are significant. Those who have lived as John Wesley, dedicated to Christ and committed to his will, can say with that great minister, “The best of all, God is with us.”
Jesus’ last words were especially significant. When Jesus was about to commit himself to the Father, he reached back into the Old Testament and found a quotation from the book of poetry that has comforted many people both before and after he lived. The psalmist spoke divinely inspired words in the midst of tumult and danger as he recognized that God was merciful and faithful, able to protect and deliver.
As Jesus hung on the cross in anguish, he called out those words as his last act of surrender to God, yet his cry had a different meaning than that of the psalmist. The psalmist longed to be preserved from death, while Jesus asked to be preserved through death unto everlasting life. Although Jesus used the words of the ancient prayer, he made them his own. He had lived the perfect life; now he was dying the perfect death. He transformed the psalmist’s prayer into one of tender confidence by substituting the word “Father” for the psalmist’s expression “O LORD God of truth” (Ps. 31:5). Both prayed to the same person, of course, but Jesus could call him “Father” in a way that was not possible for any other person.
Only in God can we find security.
The illusion that security can be found in worldly pursuits drives people to do foolish things. We sacrifice our freedom, surrender our initiative, compromise our ideals, and often waste our opportunities by wandering off after something we believe will make us immune to any contingency that threatens us. Hard work must precede success. Suffering and pain must come before true peace can be realized. Where then is true security to be found? Only in God! And only in revelation of God brought to us by Jesus Christ.
Jesus found his security in God. Jesus had found his earthly security in doing God’s will. Now he found his security at death in the same place. We never find true fulfillment until we surrender ourselves to the Father’s purpose. Augustine wrote, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and we are restless until we rest in Thee.”
We find our security, peace, joy, and everything worthwhile by trusting in God’s perfect will for our lives.
The first step.
One must start at the beginning! No one becomes a Christian by piling up good works on the altar. The first step is to trust the Lord with our eternal destiny by receiving Jesus Christ as Savior. The death of Christ on Calvary was God’s redemptive plan consummated on earth. The weight of our sins drove nails into Jesus’ hands and feet. The resurrection completed the divine drama! As Jesus commended his spirit into the hands of his Father and then expired, so we enter into the Christian life by dying to self. Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
If we want to know the joy that the Savior knew in his victorious cry at death, we must make the complete commitment he made. We must literally wager our life on the fact that God not only loves us but has provided for our needs in the death of Christ on Calvary and will remove the guilt of our sin when we surrender ourselves to him. Nothing else is sufficient! Nothing else is necessary! Do it today!
How wonderful to see a person possessing the quiet confidence of a life resting in the providence of God! Pilate did not have that confidence. He had allowed Jesus to be condemned when he could have saved him. The Sanhedrin did not have that peace. They were disorganized and confused. Judas did not have that peace. He had already gone out and hanged himself. The frantic mob lacked that peace. The frightened band of disciples could not claim it. Only Jesus could, for only he had committed himself completely into the hands of his Father.
Are you willing to trust yourself to the Savior? It is the wisest thing, the safest thing, and the most needed thing you could ever do. Fanny Crosby wrote,
Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heaven but Thee?
Indeed, if Jesus Christ cannot be trusted with our soul’s salvation and our life’s joy, who can be?
One last thought, I am not preaching this sermon at you….. because I am human and I needed to be reminded it too!
Sunday March 21st, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: God’s Plan Is Now Complete
Text: “When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished’; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30 RSV).
Scripture Reading: John 19:25–30
At least twice in Jesus’ ministry he must have cried wildly and triumphantly. One occasion came at the beginning of his ministry and the other at the close. When he finished with the third temptation in the wilderness, he shouted, “Get thee behind me, Satan” (Luke 4:8), indicating that he was through listening to the tempter. Now at the close of his ministry, Jesus once more shouted. This time the cry was likewise wild and triumphant: “It is finished!” Both cries followed prolonged periods of distress. The first cry followed forty days of hunger and temptation. The other followed many hours of haunting misery and excruciating suffering. Both times Jesus proclaimed his identity with something and somebody. Both times he testified in the presence of God that he could withstand all the assault that the satanic forces of evil might bring against him. No pressure was great enough to make Jesus surrender his determination to be God’s suffering servant and sinless sin bearer.
Few people can finish a job completely. At best we stammer when we try to speak about God and weaklings when we try to do anything in his name. But Jesus was different! He never stumbled, mumbled, or grumbled. He kept his eye on God his Father. He would not turn back or be turned back; he was determined to complete the task God brought him into the world to perform. His victorious cry, “It is finished!” reveals three things worth taking to heart.
The sufferings of Jesus are now finished.
Many years before Jesus’ crucifixion, one of Israel’s great prophets had said in anticipation of Calvary, “It was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin,” (Isa. 53:10 RSV). The suffering of God’s Son was in full accordance with God’s eternal purpose. Because we are human, we cannot fathom the divine mind. We only know that God chose the substitutionary atonement of his Son as the way of redeeming humankind from sin. When Jesus hung on the cross for six hours, he bore in his own body all that we deserve to suffer for our sins throughout eternity. The thought is too profound for us to comprehend! It is the Lord’s doing, and it must remain wonderful in our eyes!
Jesus’ sufferings did not begin on Calvary; he was persecuted at every stage in his life. The Pharisees constantly dogged his tracks, seeking every opportunity to find him guilty of violating some small part of the Mosaic law. Often the worst suffering is not physical torture but mental anguish. Jesus was hated by the religious leaders of his day. He was too orthodox for the liberal Sadducees and he was too liberated from the technical demands of the law for the overbearing Pharisees. Though this latter group resided chiefly in Jerusalem, they followed him to Galilee during his marvelous eighteen-month ministry when he was so popular. They tried to make his life miserable by constantly nit-picking everything he did to meet the human need of the underprivileged people in that area.
The greatest suffering was, however, in Gethsemane and on Calvary. So intensely did he feel the weight of the world on him as he prayed that he cried out to God, “Let this cup pass from me” (Matt. 26:39). Jesus’ sufferings in Pilate’s hall were both physical and mental. He was handed over to cruel executioners who beat him with thongs laced with pieces of bone or lead. This was physical suffering to the utmost! Then they placed a crown of thorns on his head and a purple robe around him. In some ways this must have hurt more than the scourging. Finally, Jesus endured indescribable suffering as he was nailed to the cross. Matthew merely said, “And they crucified him” (Matt. 27:35). But what depth is contained in that simple phrase! Gigantic nails being driven into his hands and feet. We yell and scream when we get a paper cut on our finger!
Now all the suffering was over. Jesus was beyond the reach of his enemies. No longer could they taunt him or throw insults at him. He had paid the price for our sins and no one could hurt him anymore.
All the prophecies of Jesus’ life and death are finished.
Beginning in the garden of Eden and continuing until the last chapter in the last book of the Old Testament, we have what has been called the “messianic strain.” God made himself known in many ways through revelation and inspiration, but the Old Testament is primarily a “drama of redemption.” Every book has something to say of God’s eternal purpose in the world. Some of the prophecies are direct statements clearly predicting the coming of certain events that became realities in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Others are in symbols, but they are, nonetheless, God’s divine word of assurance to Old Testament people that his redemptive purpose would not be defeated.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them (Matt. 5:17). Christians in the first century had no New Testament. They found Jesus in the Jewish Scriptures. Philip was asked by the Ethiopian eunuch the meaning of an Old Testament prophecy (Isa. 53:7–8). The New Testament says that he “began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:35).
In conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus reached back into the Old Testament for a beautiful parallel between the history of Israel and his own ministry, saying that “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14). The symbolic teaching of the Passover, Day of Atonement, and all guilt offerings were fulfilled when Jesus died. The curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn in two when Jesus died. No longer does the high priest go behind the curtain. Jesus is our High Priest, and every believer has unlimited access to come boldly before the throne of grace to find help in time of need.
Every prophecy, every type, every ceremony, every ritual, every foreshadowing of the coming Messiah’s life and death for our sin has been fulfilled. It is finished!
The plan of salvation is now finished.
All that was necessary for the atonement of humankind’s sin had now been accomplished. Of course, the resurrection had to follow, but the price had been paid. The raising up of Jesus was the Father’s work. The Son had paid the price.
History records the linking of the great railway system across the United States. One group began in the East and built the tracks westward. The other group began in California and built eastward. A great day came when the two tracks met. Governors from two states attended the gala occasion. A gold spike was nailed at the last to commemorate the event. Someone spontaneously shouted, “It is finished!” What was finished? A “through way” had been provided. People could go from the East to the West, crossing the nation on rail. But when Jesus shouted, “It is finished!” an even greater “through way” had been established. People could now go all the way from earth to heaven through the Savior, who gave his life as a ransom for sin.
This was perhaps the greatest shout from the cross, for Jesus had completed the work God had sent him to do. From now on the responsibility is on us. Have you received the atonement and applied it personally to your life?
I’ve told you before, my dad was far from perfect, but he loved his Lord….his study Bible was stained with tears that fell every time he read about the crucifixion of Christ. Growing up, I could never understand why dad would come from his study with tears running down his face….now I know why!
Jesus died for all, but not all will be saved—only those who come to him by faith. Have you come? If not, will you come today? And if you have already come to Him, what are you doing to spread His love to those around you???
Only you can answer that question.
Sunday March 14th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: Jesus Thirsted So That We May Drink
Text: “Jesus . . . saith, I thirst” (John 19:28).
Scripture Reading: John 19:23–29
Of all the things Jesus suffered, the fact of his thirst seems most inconsistent. At the beginning of his ministry, he began his conversation with a Samaritan woman by asking her for a drink (John 4:7). He used his request as a means of talking with her about his kingdom and to give her living water. Those who drink of this eternal water will never thirst again.
How significant that Jesus began his ministry by asking for water, and now ends it by asking for water. Meanwhile, he used thirst as a theme in many instances. What a great common denominator thirst is for both the body and the soul.
Jesus suffered many things.
How terrible were Jesus’ enemies! During his ministry they surrounded him with jibes, and at the cross they continued to taunt him. During his trial he did not open his mouth, but on the cross his sufferings were so great he had to speak. See how humanity shone forth in the Savior! He was all God, but he was also all man!
Although Jesus’ cry, “I thirst,” seems mild when compared to the other brutalities inflicted upon him, in reality it may have been the greatest. To die of thirst is one of the cruelest deaths. Do you recall times when you have been extremely thirsty? It is one of the emptiest feelings a person can have; we seem helpless.
At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he hungered and was tempted by Satan. At the end he was thirsty. The devil used every possible means to defeat the Savior by making him take a shortcut to his messiahship. But Jesus would not yield. We do find, however, that he cried out in this last struggle. His bodily anguish needed to find expression. Our physical needs may be forgotten temporarily during a crisis of spiritual conflict, but they always assert themselves with great insistence near the close. Jesus suffered! And he did so for our sins.
But Jesus did not dodge his duty.
In answer to Jesus’ plea, the soldiers gave him vinegar to drink. When we first read this, we are tempted to suppose that because of the unnatural type of drink they offered, the men intended to insult Jesus. We thus rank it among the taunts and sufferings Jesus endured at the crucifixion. A closer look at oriental historical customs, however, shows us that vinegar was the common drink of the Roman army and was most likely to be at hand at the moment.
We read elsewhere that Jesus was offered a different drink but refused it. He was offered a medicated potion, wine mingled with myrrh, to deaden his pain. Jesus refused to meet death in a state of stupefaction. (It is interesting to note that myrrh was given as a gift by the wise men to Christ after his birth) Jesus refused because he would conquer sin not through the flesh but through the Spirit. Had he escaped from pain and suffering through some kind of medication, he would not have borne our sins completely. The vinegar or sour wine he received was merely a refreshing draught and did not in any way deaden the pain or make him suffer less for our sins.
Calvary was not a pretty place.
The Christmas story is beautiful, but not so the message of the cross. The story of Jesus’ crucifixion is ugly and painful. It is easy to say, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,” but it is not so enticing to stand at the foot of the cross and hear the Savior cry. Psalm 69 is certainly a foreshadowing of this dreadful event. Jesus identified with it. When he quoted it, he was saying that he himself was the very heartbeat of this ancient Hebrew hymn. Jesus identified himself with all the hope Israel ever had in a Messiah. His cry became a sigh in a dry and thirsty land.
Have you ever seen how truly ugly all Jesus’ suffering is and how we should shudder afresh every time we read the story? Because Jesus suffered, millions have been blessed with personal salvation and strength for everyday living. Even in his cry for thirst, we see him bearing our sins in his own body on the cross.
“I thirst,” was the only cry of physical weakness Jesus uttered, but there is something most sincere and attractive about one who is not ashamed to voice his weakness and pain. Jesus’ action gives us the key to his saviorhood. He was afflicted in all our afflictions. The cross was ugly and painful. People would gladly banish it from their thinking if they could. Calvary remains as the time of sin’s victory, yet sin’s defeat; of God’s defeat, yet God’s victory, for God’s Son defeated sin once and for all by dying in humankind’s place and rising from the dead.
Do you thirst? Do you desire to be someone better than you are? If so, God can meet that need. To the Samaritan woman, Jesus said, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). This is the gift of eternal life. When we have met the Master, surrendered to him, and been mastered by him, our lives will be different. We will no longer thirst, for our needs will have been met and God’s Spirit will have moved into our hearts.
The message of the cross is that Christ can quench thirst because he once thirsted. He can make alive because he conquered death. We must remember, however, that the Christian life is not an abundance of material things but rather a realization of spiritual things. When Jesus brought the woman at the well face-to-face with her sin, she tried to change the question: Which mountain should people worship on, Mount Gerizim with the Samaritans or Mount Zion with the Jews? Jesus reminded her that the hour was coming when people would worship at neither mountain. He reminded her that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). When he declared to her that he was the Messiah, she received him and went off to town to tell others of her great discovery. You, too, will experience this joy if you will surrender to him who has the water of eternal life.
Sunday March 7th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: The Road to Duty Is Lonely
Text: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:34–50
All conscious human beings have what is called a “pain threshold.” When we pass beyond this threshold, we enter into the realm of delirium, and no cool hand can reach us. Personally, I could never be spy because all they would have to do is mention torture and I would tell them anything they wanted to know. My pain threshold is a minus 10. How far had Jesus gone at the time he cried out today’s Scripture text from the cross? He may have been on the border, but he was still conscious enough to reach back into the Old Testament and pull out a quotation from one of his favorite psalms to express his innermost feelings. By quoting this psalm that was so related to God’s purpose in history, he was in all probability also giving witness to people that he was the Messiah.
The words Jesus spoke came near the conclusion of the six hours he suffered on the cross. His enemies had already quoted from this psalm when they said, “He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him” (Matt. 27:43 NIV; see Ps. 22:8). Perhaps Jesus was refuting their words with his quotation that had unique application to the situation at hand.
What was happening at Calvary? Jesus was treading the lonesome road to bring forgiveness to humankind. Some things we can share with others, but some duties in life must be faced alone. In Gethsemane Jesus had suffered just such an experience. Now he was facing it again.
In one sense, God never leaves us.
Scripture has many verses to teach us that God is always keeping watch over his own. God always remains with his own during their darkest times.
All of us can remember an experience in our life when everyone forsook us but God. How wonderful to know that no matter what comes, we as Christians can call upon the eternal God, knowing that he is our refuge and strength.
One of the greatest heresies possible is to believe that God forsakes his own. Do God’s will, and he will be with you to the end! We don’t have to wait until we die to be in God’s presence, for we can be confident that when we seek to please him here on earth, he is present with us.
But Jesus’ case was different.
One of the most profound mysteries, perhaps the greatest, in the world is the relationship of the human to the divine in our Savior. As a human being, Jesus suffered; and we must never for one moment forget this fact of Jesus’ life. Although the Father was with him in times of loneliness and heartache, as in the garden of Gethsemane, when he prayed, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53 NIV), this case was different. Jesus had come to pay the supreme price for human sin. No theologian can fully explain why it was necessary for Jesus to die in order for humans to live. This is because we cannot fully understand the divine nature. But God willed that humans must be saved from their sin by a divine substitute, Jesus Christ. Paul said that in this way God becomes both just and the justifier of those who put their faith in him (Rom. 3:26). Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many. He was the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice, bearing the sin debt of the world. For him to be an effective substitute for our guilt, he had to bear our sins alone. Even God had to “turn his back” on his only Son, as Jesus became the curse in order for us to be set free from the curse.
Whatever the cost, remain faithful.
Throughout all of Jesus’ ministry, he was tempted to turn aside from his goal because of hardships. His friends did not want to see him die. Peter rebuked him when he spoke of his coming death. His own soul trembled when the cup of affliction was put into his hand. Nevertheless, Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem. He endured the pain of the cross without uttering a word of complaint.
Doing our duty means difficulty and often danger. Effort, restraint, sacrifice, and discipline form the package. Standing for our principles in order to reach the goal requires great patience. Often we must begin again and forgive those who do not even want forgiveness enough to repent. Dedication is the price in any realm of endeavor.
Most important, we cannot do our duty unless we love. Jesus went to the cross for the world’s eternal redemption because he loved. Loneliness was present every step of the road, but there was no other way!
Nothing worthwhile comes easy! But the reward is worth the toil. We do not have to wait until we get to heaven to begin reaping the harvest from the seed we have sown. One of the highest rewards for our toil is not what we get for it but what we become by it.
If the road of Christians as they pursue their duty is lonely, so much more is that of sinners.
They must repent, and that, too, is a lonesome road. But it is also a glorious one.
Sunday February 21st, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Deacon C.Jay McCann
@copyright 2021
2 KINGS 2:1- 25
Elijah
Hebrew prophet
Elijah’s name means “Yahweh is my God” also spelled Elias or Elia, Hebrew Spelling and pronunciation: Eliyyahu
Elijah claimed that there was no reality boldly except the God of Israel, stressing mono-theism
Meaning: ( Only One God ) to the people with possibly unprecedented emphasis. Hebrew prophet who ranks up there with Moses in saving the religion of Yahweh (which is God ) from being corrupted by the nature worship of Baal.
Elijah was from Tishbe in Gilead. The narrative in 1 Kings relates how he suddenly appears during Ahab’s reign to proclaim a drought in punishment of the cult of Baal that Jezebel was promoting in Israel at Yahweh’s expense. Later Elijah meets 450 prophets of Baal in a contest of strength on Mount Carmel to determine which deity is the true God of Israel.
Sacrifices are placed on an altar to Baal ( the idol ) and one to Yahweh. (The True God )
The pagan prophets’ ecstatic appeals to Baal to kindle the wood on his altar are unsuccessful, But Elijah’s prayers to Yahweh are answered by a fire on his altar. This outcome is taken as - decisive by the Israelites, who slay the priests and prophets of Baal under Elijah’s direction. The drought, thereupon ends with the falling of rain. Elijah flees the wrath of the venge-ful Jezebel by undertaking a pilgrimage to Mount Horeb (Sinai)
1 Kings 19: 1-2
Ahab told his wife Jezebel what Elijah had done and that he had killed the prophets. She sent a message to Elijah:
“You killed my prophets.
Now I’m going to kill you! Her message goes on to say.. I pray that the gods
will punish me even more severely
if I don’t do it by this time tomorrow.” Elijah was afraid when he
got her message, and he ran to the town of Beersheba in Judah where he is
at first disheartened in his struggle and then miraculously renewed.
1 Kings 19:5 Tells us: Then he lay down in the shade and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel woke him up and said, “Get up and eat.” The angels awoke him twice. The food and water made him strong enough to walk forty more days. At last, he reached Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.
In a further narrative, King Ahab has a man named Naboth condemned to death in order to gain possession of his vineyard. Ahab’s - judicial murder of Naboth and confiscation of his vineyard arouse Elijah as the upholder of the moral law, before he had come forward as the champion of "monotheism." (Which is the doctrine or belief that there is only ONE God.)
Elijah denounces Ahab for his crimes, asserting that ALL Men are subject to the law of God and are therefore equals.
Later Ahab’s son, King Ahaziah, appeals to Baal to heal him of an injury, and Elijah once more upholds the exclusive rights of Yahweh by bringing down “Fire from heaven.”
After bestowing his mantle on his successor, Elisha, the prophet Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.
We are going to walk through 2 Kings with Elijah and Elisha
Now who is Elisha? And How is he related to Elijah?
Elisha was the son of Shaphat, a wealthy land-owner of Abel-meholah ; he became the attendant and disciple of Elijah. His name first occurs in 1 Kings (chapter 19) in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor.
So let's walk through this scripture and Picture - It ... as we journey through with them
2 Kings 2:1 -25
2:1 When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal
2 And Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay Here, for the Lord has told me to go up Bethel." But Elisha replied, "As surely as the Lord lives and You yourself live, I will never leave you!" So they went down together to Bethel.
3 The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, "Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?" Of Course I know, Elisha answered. "But be quite about it."
Note a: "A group of prophets from Bethel" was similar to a school, a gathering of disciples around a recognized prophet, such as Elijah or Elisha. These groups of prophets, located throughout the country, helped stem the tide of spiritual and moral decline in the nation begun under Jeroboam. The students at Bethel were eyewitnesses to the succession of the ministry from- Elijah to Elisha
4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay Here, for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho." But Elisha replied again, "As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will Never Leave you." So they went on together to Jericho.
5 Then the group of prophets - from - Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, "Did you know that the Lord is going to take away your master away from you today?"
"Of course I know" Elisha answered. "But be quite about it."
6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay Here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River." Elisha replied. As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you." So they went on together.
7 Fifty men from the group - of - prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River.
8 Then Elijah folded his cloak together and stuck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went cross on dry ground!
9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away." And Elisha replied, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become -your successor."
10 "You have asked a difficult thing, " Elijah replied. "If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won't."
Again a side note: a: Elijah's cloak was a symbol of - his authority -as a prophet.
Secondly* b: God granted Elisha's request because - Elisha's motives were pure. His main goal was -not to be better -or more powerful than Elijah, but to accomplish more for God.
You see, If our motives are pure, we don't have to be afraid - to ask great things - from God. When we ask God - for great power - or ability, -we need to examine our desires and get rid of - any selfishness we find.
.....................................................
To have the Holy Spirit's help,
We must be willing to ask.
..................................................
Let's see what takes place...
11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a Chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father! My father! I see the chariots and Charioteers of Israel!" And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
It's Important to Note: Elijah was taken to heaven without dying. He is the - second person mentioned in Scripture - to have this honor. Enoch was the first ( Genesis 5:21-24 ) The other prophets may - not have seen God - Take Elijah, or - they may have had a difficult time believing what they had just seen. In either case, they wanted -to search for Elijah ( 2 Kings 2:16-18 ) Finding no physical trace of him would confirm what had happened and had strengthen their faith. The only other person taken to heaven in bodily form was Jesus after his resurrection from the dead ( Acts 1:9 )
13 Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha - returned to the bank - of the Jordan River.
14 He stuck the water with Elijah's cloak and cried out, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.
15 When the group - of prophets from Jericho - saw from a distance -what happened, they exclaimed, "Elijah's spirit rests upon Elisha!"And they went to meet him -and bowed - to the ground before him.
16 "Sir," They said, "just - say - the - word and fifty of our strongest men -will search the wilderness - for your master, Perhaps the spirit of the Lord has left him on some mountain or in some valley."
a: These three incidents pause "were testimonies to Elisha's commission as a prophet of God. And They are recorded to demonstrate Elisha's.. pause "New power and authority" as Israel's chief prophet under God's ultimate power and authority.. Elisha did not strike the water -out of disrespect -for God or Elijah. He was ( pleading with God ) to - confirm his appointment as Elijah's successor to continue the Lords Works.
So here is Elisha's response, to this group of prophets from Jericho who are about to search for Elijah..
Elisha said, "No, " don't send them.
17 But they kept urging him - until - they shamed him into agreeing, - "Alright, Send them." So fifty men searched for three days but did not find Elijah.
18 Elisha was -still at Jericho -when they returned. "Didn't I tell you not to go?" he asked?
God continued to use Elisha with Miracles for his faithfulness .
Elisha's First Miracle
19 One day the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elisha. "We have a problem, my Lord."-- they told him. "This town is located in pleasant surroundings, as you can see. But -the water is bad, - and the land - is unproductive."
20 So Elisha said, " Bring me a New bowl with salt in it" So they brought it to him.
21 Then he went
out to the spring that - supplied the town with water - and threw the salt into
it.
and he said, "This is what the Lord says: I have purified -this water. It
will - no longer -cause death or infertility.
22 And the water has remained pure ever since, just as Elisha said. But something interesting occurs.
23 Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him. "Go away, baldy!" they chanted. Again, "Go away baldy!"
But The taunting still continued..
24 Elisha turned and looked at them, and- he cursed them in - the name of the Lord.
And look what happened next... It goes on to say:
Then two - bears came out -of the woods and mauled forty-two of them.
25 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel and finally returned to Sameria.
a: This group of boys was from Bethel, the -religious center of idolatry in the northern kingdom, and they- probably were warning Elisha not to speak "against their immorality" as Elijah... had done. They were not -merely teasing Elisha - about his baldness, but showing - severe disrespect - for Elisha's message and God's Power. They may also have Jeered him (rudely treated him) because of their disbelief in the chariot of fire that had taken Elijah.
When Elisha cursed them, he did not call out the bears himself. God sent them as a judgment for their callous unbelief.
b: These young men mocked God's messenger and paid for it with their lives. Making fun of religious leaders, has been a popular sport through - the ages -and still is today.
To take a STAND for God - is to be different from the world -and vulnerable to verbal abuse.
When we are -cynical and sarcastic - toward religious leaders, we are in danger of mocking not just the person, but also the -spiritual message. And that my friends is not only a dangerous attitude, It's also an invitation to a falling-out with God by choice. While we are not to condone the sin that some leaders commit, we need to pray for them, -not laugh at them. Such as what is taking place in our Nation's Capital and congress Today! We need to get on our knees and PRAY for this Nation of - OUR and those who have been voted in to office. True leaders, are those who follow God and need to be heard - with respect and encouraged - in their ministry.
Not Mocked!
Friends, take a look around at the news today. The Lord is coming back. We need to keep - pressing - forward and share the message of Jesus Christ - to as many souls. That Will Listen. Just as this passage from years ago, there will be some, who have - seen the very works- of the Lord, and yet will Still - Deny God and His Mighty Works - which we will all see.
God - Is at Work - brothers and sisters and we must get our hearts, our minds and our souls ready for his return.
Sunday February 14th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: An Instruction Regarding False Teachers
Text: Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil-workers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. (Phil. 3:2 RSV)
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:2–11
In this instruction concerning false teachers, the apostle Paul warned the beloved congregation in Philippi against the peril of being misled in their faith. In the verses that follow the text, we gain the impression that these false teachers were the Judaizers—those who believed that Gentiles must become Jews in order to be Christians.
The Judaizers found it exceedingly difficult to believe that the Gentiles were included in God’s great redemptive purpose. They would have preferred to restrict Christianity to Jewish listeners, and they resisted every outreach effort that was extended toward non-Jews. The Judaizers were seemingly unable to see that their traditions placed restrictions on the love and mercy of God. They were legalistic and literalistic in their interpretations of the Old Testament. They were blind to the changes that the preaching of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit were bringing about in the hearts and lives of Gentile believers.
They also conveniently forgot that the Jews had rejected Christ and Christ himself said to go to the highways and byways and compel them to come in.
In this warning concerning the necessity of being on guard against false teachers, Paul feared that the Philippian congregation would be subjected to the same kind of perils that he dealt with in his letter to the Galatians. The Galatians had responded to the gospel by faith. Later they were confused and misled by these Judaizers, who caused them to fall away from the way of grace. They added to faith the works of the law as essentials for salvation.
There is a warning against legalism.
From verse 3 and following, we draw the conclusion that Paul was informing his converts in Philippi to be on their guard. They needed to oppose those who insisted that the proper observance of external religious ceremonies, along with ancestral relationships, gave them a position of privilege in God’s sight.
Paul went into great detail to demonstrate that he no longer put his faith and trust in the things on which he previously had based his hope for a right relationship with God. He no longer put faith in his religious self-discipline or achievements as a basis for acceptance before the Father God (Phil. 3:7–10). Paul encouraged the Philippian congregation to trust in Jesus Christ plus nothing for a righteousness that comes through faith (Phil. 3:9).
There is a warning against false teachings.
In the closing verses of Philippians 3, Paul warned believers against listening to and following those who separate creed from conduct and behavior from belief. The false teachers in this passage may be the Gnostics, who believed that people found acceptance before God on the basis of a superior knowledge. This was communicated to them by those who were initiated into the secrets of the knowledge of God. The Gnostics believed that matter is essentially evil and that the Creator God is so exalted and so far removed from humankind that he is unconcerned about human conduct.
These false teachers denied the true humanity of Jesus Christ and in so doing also denied his divinity. The end result was complete license in conduct. Paul warns his beloved Philippians against the belief that there is no relationship between the condition of the soul and the life that one lives.
There are many false teachers in the world today. Some of them are very sophisticated. We need to beware lest religious teachers lead us astray from the truth of God’s Word. We need to be cautious lest we are led away from the path of proper conduct by what we see on television or in videos. We need to be on guard lest we are led astray by the customs and the traditions of our culture that are often accepted as the law and the gospel.
Perhaps the finest way to prevent ourselves from being misled is to make a total commitment to Jesus Christ as heaven’s infallible teacher as well as Lord and Savior. Let’s listen to him as he speaks to us with authority concerning God, others, and things that are of eternal value.
Remember that there was only one way to salvation and that was through the shed blood and a faith in Jesus Christ.
We cannot earn it, we cannot buy it, and we most certainly don’t deserve it, but God in His grace freely gives it to all believers.
Sunday February 7th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: When Jesus Gave Thanks
Text: “He took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’ ” (Matt. 26:27–28 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:26–30
On this most solemn occasion in the life of our Lord, he found it possible to be thankful to God. With the agony of the cross in the immediate future, he was able to offer thanks. Evidently our Lord had developed the habit of giving thanks in the midst of all things and at all times. As we observe the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, we have every reason to be thankful.
Did our Lord offer thanks for God’s blessings in the past?
As Jesus contemplated dying on the cross, he offered thanks to God. Perhaps he was thanking God for the many provisions in his ministry up to this point. Perhaps he was thanking God for his redemptive purpose from the very dawn of beginning. Perhaps he was thanking God for the divine protection of his servants through the centuries. Perhaps he was thanking God for his abiding presence.
If our Lord could be thankful to God for the past, it follows that each of us can find many things for which to thank God. He has done so much for us. We can be thankful for the struggles and the sacrifices of those who are humanly responsible for the great spiritual heritage we enjoy today. We can be thankful for the prophets and the apostles, for the pioneer missionaries and our spiritual forefathers. Let us be grateful during this service for God’s provisions in the past.
Did our Lord offer thanks for God’s blessings in the present?
We can be certain that our Lord was living and laboring with an awareness of the presence of the Father God. Twice the voice had come from heaven declaring, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
Our Lord had come on a mission that would involve teaching and healing and finally dying on a cross. He was so near to the completion of his mission that he felt thankful to God because of the joy of personal accomplishment.
Let us search for those things in our contemporary experience that can cause us to be thankful to God as we partake of these elements of the Lord’s Supper.
What would our lives be like if we had never come to know Jesus Christ? Let us take an inventory and evaluate the differences that Christ has made to enrich and improve our total human experience. Let us be grateful for the friendships and the relationships that have been made possible by his life, death, and resurrection.
As we partake of these elements that symbolize Jesus’ incarnation in human flesh and his sacrificial death on the cross, let us be thankful today.
Did our Lord offer thanks to God for the future?
With the agony awaiting him in Gethsemane and on Calvary, was our Lord anticipating the joy of returning to the Father? Was this an element in the thanksgiving that he offered to the Father as he held in his hands the symbols of his incarnation and sacrificial death on the cross? In the great intercessory prayer recorded in John 17, we hear our Lord saying, “And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee” (17:11 RSV).
Our Lord was thankful for what his life, his teachings, his ministry, his sacrificial and substitutionary death, and his glorious resurrection were going to mean to his followers. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us that it was because of “the joy that was set before him” that he “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2 RSV). We have glorious picture renditions of the Christ on the Cross, but they never show the cruelty and horror of a death on the cross. Not only was the convicted person sentenced to death, but he had to carry his own cross through the town. The films don’t show the reality of what a Roman crucifixion entailed. The prisoner was stripped naked and beaten severely and then crucified. There was no dignity involved as the crucified one was hanging on the cross, naked in the hot sun. Not a pretty sight.
Our Lord was offering thanks because, through his coming death on the cross, it would be possible for the love of God to be revealed to a sinful race.
As we partake of the bread that symbolizes Jesus’ coming to earth in human flesh, and as we drink the fruit of the vine that symbolizes his sacrificial death on the cross, let us rejoice and be grateful. Let us be thankful for what Jesus’ death and resurrection have done for our past, our present, and our future.
Our Lord had the habit
of being thankful. He gave verbal expression to God and to others of his inward
attitude of gratitude.
As we participate in the Lord’s Supper, let us be supremely thankful to him for
what he has done for us in the past, what he is doing in the present, and what
he is going to do in the future.
Sunday January 31st, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: The Command to Cooperate
Text: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure”
(Phil. 2:12–13 RSV).
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to give joyous attention to the great instructions that fell from the lips of the apostle Paul. This veteran soldier of the cross, this great missionary leader, this warmhearted pastor was seeking not only to glorify God, but to point out those human responses that were essential for spiritual growth and effectiveness in witnessing.
In the words of our text, Paul was encouraging the disciples at Philippi to cooperate with God as he carried on a good work within them.
God’s good work began in conversion (Phil. 1:6).
The church in Philippi had heard the good news of God’s love as revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They recognized what they needed to do to receive the gift of new life. Paul told them that the conversion experience is but the beginning of the human response to God, and it is but the initiation of God’s great redemptive work on our behalf.
God’s good work in us continues as we cooperate (Phil. 2:12–13).
Paul was not declaring that the believers in Philippi had to work their way to heaven. The salvation of the soul is not the result of the good works of even a sincere and devout person (Eph. 2:8–9; Titus 3:5). Instead, Paul was affirming that if they would experience God’s full salvation from the downward pull of a fallen nature, they had to cooperate with God as he worked within them.
Modern translations can help us to see that for which the apostle was pleading. The New International Version reads, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
If we would work with God, we should make much of his Book. God will communicate his will to us through the pages of the Bible.
If we would work with God, we must find our way into the closet of prayer. Prayer is the means by which we communicate with God, but even more important, it is the means by which he communicates with us.
If we would work with God, we must let the church be the church in our lives. It is through the local expression of God’s family that we experience his presence and his love. It is through the church that we receive encouragement and correction and comfort.
If we would work with God, we must be responsive to the Holy Spirit. He is seeking day by day not only to strengthen us, but to use us in witnessing to unsaved people around us.
God’s good work in us will be completed when the Lord returns (Phil. 3:20–21).
Our salvation begins in conversion and continues through consecration. It will finally be consummated when Christ returns from heaven for his own. In conversion we are saved from the penalty of sin. As we cooperate with Christ, we are saved from the power and practice of sin. When the Lord returns, we will be saved from the very presence of sin.
Our citizenship is in heaven. As disciples of Jesus, we are pilgrims here. This world is not our home; we are only passing through. As citizens of the kingdom of heaven, we must live out that citizenship in an environment that is not conducive to spiritual growth. It is in this present world that we must let our manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:27). This is a personal challenge to each of us.
The choice is yours to make….either accept it or reject it…you cannot just be a Sunday morning Christian it is 24/7.
Sunday January 24th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Text: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil. 1:27 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:27–30
Paul shared many thrilling truths in his letter to his beloved church at Philippi. The letter to the Philippians is a letter of gratitude and joy that reveals the love of the apostle for this congregation. It records repeated expressions of the congregation’s love and support of the apostle in his missionary ministries. With genuine love and wisdom and with great optimism, the apostle gave some imperatives to these friends in the family of God. And as he spoke to them, he speaks to us today.
Philippi was a Roman colony, and its citizens enjoyed the privilege of being Roman citizens. They enjoyed legal rights there as if they lived on Roman soil near the capital of the Roman Empire. Paul reminded these believers on two different occasions that their real citizenship was heavenly (Phil. 1:27; 3:20). Paul was not suggesting that they ignore the obligations of earthly citizenship, but he challenged them to recognize their unique relationship with God and his kingdom work. He challenged them to live in the pagan city of Philippi as citizens of the holy and higher kingdom of God.
As he neared the end of his letter, Paul sent greetings to the saints in Caesar’s household. This may have served as a challenge to those in Philippi to be faithful and devoted servants of Jesus Christ (Phil. 4:22), for if one could live for Christ in Caesar’s household, it follows that one could live for Christ in Philippi or in any modern city.
Our response to God must take many different forms according to the pressures and the needs we encounter. It is interesting to note the manner in which Paul hoped his readers would conduct themselves as citizens of the kingdom of God.
He would have them stand firm in one spirit with one mind (Phil. 1:27).
The threat of divisiveness or disunity has always threatened the church’s witness. This is true today, and it was true in the early days of the Christian movement.
We need to recognize that there are many handicaps or hindrances to maintaining a unity of mind and spirit.
The immaturity of God’s family can cause disunity.
The individuality of persons can often create disunity.
Honest differences of opinion can sometimes be very divisive.
Physical and emotional fatigue can often create disunity.
We must recognize that our enemy the devil is always seeking to divide the people of God so that he might conquer them.
The apostle Paul was urging the church in Philippi to take steps toward unity within the body in order that they might reflect God’s grace and goodness in their city.
He would have them strive together in a united effort.
We must strive together side by side for the sake of the gospel. Jesus’ followers should work together like dedicated and disciplined athletes on a winning team. We should cooperate in redemptive activity like the members of a choir singing in perfect harmony. We should seek to avoid any discord lest we cast reflection on the message we proclaim.
We must strive together to protect the purity of our faith. Truth has always been attacked by error. Some people try to mix error with truth.
There are groups out there that claim to be Christian and are of Satan….they deny the Word of God….they will say, “Did God really mean that.” Relate it to something your parents told you….you would never dare tell them “I didn’t think you meant it.”
Thus we must strive together to protect the purity of our message.
We must strive together side by side in proclaiming the good news in our personal world.
He would have them stand firm against opposition.
In Paul’s world, preaching a message of a crucified but risen Savior was not a popular thing to do. Because of the multiplicity of idols and shrines, many with vested interests opposed any religion that served as a competitor for the status quo. Bravery, with a refusal to surrender to fear, was an essential for success in the face of opposition to the gospel message. Likewise, we must not rush off like a terrified horse when we are confronted by those who oppose our Christian message.
He encouraged them to be willing to suffer for the sake of Christ (v. 29).
In some parts of the modern world it is popular and socially acceptable for one to be a professing Christian. Such was not the case in Philippi, nor is it true in many parts of today’s world. Many contemporary followers of Jesus Christ have never faced up to the fact that the cross is the symbol of our faith and our commitment to God’s will. If we would be true followers of Jesus Christ, we must be willing to suffer as he suffered and as others have suffered for their faith.
What is the shape of your Christian life in the modern world? As those who seek for a city whose builder and maker is God, we must demonstrate the characteristics of heavenly citizenship in the here and now. Philippi was a Roman colony, and the citizens of Rome were encouraged to dress like Romans, act like Romans, think like Romans, speak like Romans, and never forget that they were Romans.
Paul encouraged the saints at Philippi to dress, act, think, and speak in a way that would be worthy of Jesus Christ.
Let us strive with the help of the Holy Spirit to be good citizens of the kingdom of God in our community now.
Sunday January 17th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: How We Can Know God
Text: “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matt. 11:27 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 11:25–30; Colossians 1:13–20
The majority of Americans believe in God, and many believe that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God. This raises the question as to how we know there is a God.
We can know God by the mystery and majesty of creation (Matt. 11:25).
The mystery of the creative power is hidden from us. We cannot know the Creator or the meaning of his creation unless he reveals himself to us. We come to the majesty of creation with humility because we are faced with a reality of such scope and power that we know almost instinctively that its source is beyond human imagination or accidental happening. This way of knowing God is sometimes referred to as “general revelation” and is available to everyone (cf. Rom. 1:20–23, 25).
Our kids are taught in school that over billions of years ago, something happened…they haven’t figured out that part yet…but something happened in the universe to form the earth and other planets. Then they teach the theory of evolution as a fact. The sad part is that this theory being taught as fact is totally against all scientific principles which state that for something to be a fact it has to happen or be caused to happen over and over again. And so far, there have been no more things crawling out of the ocean (for some unknown reason) beginning to live on dry land. (and no more apes turning into men.)
At this moment it seems as though science will never be able to raise the curtain on the mystery of Creation. For the scientist who has lived by his faith and power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.
Many believed the time of creation was some twenty billion years ago. Somewhere out in the great, dark vastness of the universe there just may have been a God who called it all into being. This is further evidence of the compelling nature of general revelation, which brings people to a shallow faith. It is not final, nor is it conclusive as regards Jesus Christ, but it is for many a place of beginning. Jesus calls the Father “Lord of heaven and earth.” The mystery of creation is hidden from the wise but revealed to little children (Matt. 11:25).
Then we have the group that calls it theistic evolution when God caused all this to happen, that is that God took things that were already there and made them into the earth we know today and that God caused man to evolve from something that crawled out of the ocean and lakes.
However, careful study of your Bible will prove that God created the universe out of nothing and man was created from the dust of the earth…man did not evolve. (But this is a whole other study of God’s Word.)
My opinion is that if you are a Bible believing Christian, you cannot possibly believe in evolution. Either you believe the Bible in its entirety or you don’t.
We can know God by the mystery and majesty of Christ (Matt. 11:27).
Many people may be drawn to hope and beginning belief by the reality of creation, but redemption, reconciliation, and salvation are in Christ alone. The founder of the Theater of the Absurd lamented, “The world has lost its bearings. Not that ideologies are lacking to give directions: only that they lead nowhere. . . . People are going round in circles in the cage of their planet because they have forgotten that they can look up to the sky. .
In this astounding time of scientific openness to the mystery of life and of human despair at the absurdity of life, how can we put a face on God? Jesus said, “No one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (v. 27 RSV). The apostle Paul called Jesus Christ “the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. . . . For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col. 1:15, 19 RSV). Jesus Christ revealed some very specific truths to us about the nature of the ultimate God.
The birth of Jesus indicates that God was not afraid to enter fully into human life Our Lord Jesus taught us to call the mystery and majesty “Father.”
In his life Jesus demonstrated how to live in a basic, trustful relationship with God.
In his death Jesus hung between heaven and earth, between God and man. Crushed beneath our iniquities, Jesus died for us.
Through Jesus’ victory over death at the resurrection, he has invited us to the victorious life. We know that death cannot rip us from the Father’s hand.
The promised return of Jesus to the earth reveals that God is not finished with this world or with our lives.
Jesus Christ is unique, one of a kind, but he is willing to share life with all who will believe. He has given us eternal life “in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29 RSV). The heart of our Lord’s appeal is simply this: you can know God by trusting him. In trusting him you will finally come to know him. Only in the life of the Son do we have any assurance that we can know God as he really is: God the Father, Lord of heaven and earth, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father to all who will turn to him in trusting faith.
A very wise man said Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto thy own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. I’ve tried it and it WORKS!
Sunday January 10th, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: Scriptural knowledge
Text: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15 RSV).
The New International Version translates this text, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Phillips translates it, “For yourself, concentrate on winning God’s approval, on being a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, and who knows how to use the word of truth to the best advantage.”
While it is not necessary that one have a graduate degree from a school of theology before he or she can serve God effectively, it remains true that God does not want ignorant workers. In the words of our text, the apostle is urging upon Timothy and all of his readers the importance of presenting ourselves to our Father God as competent workers who are skilled in doing the work of God’s kingdom.
Paul encouraged believers to present their bodies to God as living sacrifices. It is in our bodies that we are to honor and glorify him. It is in our bodies that we are to demonstrate both the wisdom and power of God. Paul affirmed this same concept in his first letter to the Corinthians, in which he declared that the body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and consequently it should not participate in immoral activities (1 Cor. 6:15–20).
The words of our text emphasize maturity, skill, and competency in the service of our Lord. Paul appealed to Timothy’s sense of pride in personal accomplishment, “a workman who has no need to be ashamed.” Have you ever seen a carpenter who was ashamed of his craftsmanship? Have you ever known a bricklayer who laid a crooked wall of brick? Have you ever known a woman who made a dress and was then ashamed to wear it? The apostle was encouraging Timothy to present himself to God and to do what was necessary to become a skilled worker who “rightly handles the word of truth.”
We can do a number of very practical things to improve our spiritual competency in our ministry for our Lord. The King James Version translates this verse, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Competency requires study and practice. Only as we study can we be skilled. Let us focus attention on how we should study the Bible if we would rightly handle it so as to accomplish the purpose for which God intended it.
Let us read the Bible regularly.
We should spend time every day listening to God as he speaks to us through the Scriptures. How can you tell someone you believe the Bible from cover to cover if you never read it?
Let us read the Bible subjectively.
It is not enough that we read the Bible merely as a record of what happened in the ancient past. God can and will speak to us in the present if we will listen to him. I remember when my daughter was growing up and had her physical and the doctor said, “Her hearing is fine.” And I asked him “but what can you do about her listening?” We need to listen to what the Holy Spirit tells us (opens our eyes to what we read)
Let us read the Bible intelligently.
One must beware of reading the Bible as he or she would read some kind of crystal ball. We must follow certain guidelines as we study the Bible.
Let us try to understand what the Bible meant in its historical context. This is when it was first recorded by man under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Let us try to understand
the language. We need to understand the figures of speech and terminology the
author was using to communicate divine truth. Remember over the years some of
our current phrases did not mean the same thing to our parents.
Let us study the Bible in a logical manner, not merely searching for proof
texts. Let us examine each phrase and verse in its context. Let us study the
paragraph in the light of the chapter, and the chapter in the light of the book,
and each book in the context of the whole of Scriptures. Remember we have an
entire Bible not just the Old and New Testaments….the new is a continuation of
the Old…a fulfillment.
Let us remember that the Bible is a record of God’s self-revelation. Only the Holy Spirit can unlock his secrets and reveal to us the great biblical truths of God.
Let us read the Bible systematically.
There is no set way to read the Scriptures. Some like to follow the plan of readings following some of the guides, such as the one Wanda distributed. Others just start at the beginning and read through to the end.
Another option I find very helpful is to “listen” to audio readings of the Scriptures and follow along, this is great for many who have difficulty in reading something and relating meaning to what they read. Personally I use the Wonder Bible to listen to audio, because even I will read something and miss words as I read but hearing them brings new meaning to the passage.
Let us read the Bible prayerfully.
Memorize and meditate on the great promises and the great warnings in Scripture.
Let us read the Bible obediently.
We should study the Word so that we might learn about God, ourselves, and others. And as God reveals his truth to us, let us respond to it.
Yes, it is true that reading the genealogies can be boring, but they are there to prove to us that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, truly is the King of the Jews.
And yes, there are portions that we cannot grasp as humans, but as we study, the Holy Spirit will open up those passages to us. Sometimes we are like the soldier who is only given part of his instructions….on a need to know basis.
It is important that ministers interpret the Scriptures correctly and apply them properly. It is just as important that all Christians know how to handle the Word of God properly. And it is equally important that every Christian study to show himself or herself a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who uses the Word of God rightly. If we will study diligently and present ourselves joyfully to our precious Lord, it is highly unlikely that we will be ashamed of ourselves or of our lives when we stand before him.
Sunday January 3rd, 2021 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2021
Title: What It Means to Be Lost
Text: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Eph. 2:1–2 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1–3
Sometimes we read in the newspaper or see on television that a mine has caved in and people are trapped in the tunnel. We feel something of the despair of their families as they grimly mutter, “They are lost! Lost!” “But,” someone might say, “they are not lost. We know exactly where they are in the tunnel.” “Yet,” the reply comes back, “they are as lost as if they were a hundred miles underground. We cannot reach them. We know where they are, but they are lost.”
This expresses the condition of those who are spiritually lost, without Christ and without salvation. We know where they are all right. But they are still lost without Christ.
For an answer to the query, “What does it mean to be lost?” there is no better place to turn than Ephesians 2.
To be lost is to be spiritually dead.
The lost person is cut off from the spiritual life and power that we find in Christ. Thus the condition of the lost person is death. Spiritual death is brought about by sin. Specific acts of sin are the result of the general habit of sin in one’s life. These habitual sins kill all spiritual sensitivity.
Scripture plainly teaches us: “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23 NIV).
To be lost is to be helplessly enslaved.
Enslaved by the spirit of the age. “You were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world” (Eph. 2:1–2 NIV). Think of things that characterize the spirit of our age or the ways of this world—greed, lust, pride, selfishness, unrestrained and undisciplined action.
Enslaved by the power of Satan. “You followed . . . the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Eph. 2:2 NIV). The people of Paul’s day believed that the air was filled with evil spirits. These spirits were ruled by the prince of the power of the air—the devil himself. In our day we have relegated the devil to cartoons and caricatures. But if we look closely at the world, we can see that the power of evil is still loose. Satan is directing the spirit of the age. In our experience, Satan works slyly.
Enslaved by a spirit of rebellion. By “those who are disobedient” (Eph. 2:2 NIV), Paul is referring to those whose lives are characterized by disobedience, the very essence of sin. From the time Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden of Eden until now, disobedience has been the heart of sin.
Enslaved by our own desires. The desires of the flesh and of the mind control the life. Flesh in the Bible and fleshly sins do not refer only to sexual sins. In Paul’s list of sins of the flesh in Galatians 5:19–21, he includes with adultery and fornication other sins of idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, wrath, strife, envy, the love of money and riches, and so on. The flesh is the lower part of our nature; the flesh is that part of our nature that gives sin a point of attack.
To be lost is to be an object of wrath.
“We were by nature deserving of wrath” (Eph. 2:3 NIV). How vividly this expresses the fact that those who are lost and without Christ await the wrath of God and are objects of his wrath. God’s wrath is not a whimsical thing. In the New Testament the wrath of God refers to his settled opposition to sin.
Part of God’s wrath is
revealed in the life of the lost person. Look to those whose lives have been
lived in sin. They have become callous, hardened, and insensitive. God’s wrath
as a natural result of their sin has caused them to lose much of that which is
finest and best in life.
But God’s wrath also has a future aspect. The apostle Paul warned of our
stubbornness and unrepentant hearts causing us to “[store] up wrath against
[ourselves] for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be
revealed” (Rom. 2:5 NIV). The Bible confirms
the judgment of God on our sin.
We have seen what it means to be lost, and thank God no one has to remain lost. Everyone can be saved. Ephesians 2:1–3 describes the condition of the lost. Verses 4–5, however, say, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (NIV).
Charles H. Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers, (preached Sinners in the hands of an angry God, which had the audience terrified that they would slip directly into hell), never tired of telling the story of how he was saved. He had been trying to save himself by his own works. Then one rainy Sunday morning he wandered into a little chapel and sat down with the few worshipers who were there. That morning the minister preached on the text, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth” (Isa. 45:22). At the close of his sermon, he pointed his long, bony finger at Spurgeon and said, “Look! Look unto him, young man! Look unto Jesus, and you will be saved.” That morning Spurgeon looked unto Jesus and was saved. Maybe then next person you tell about Jesus will turn out to be the next Spurgeon, or Billy Graham, or even lead the drunkard to Christ. It was someone who led C.I. Scofield, a drunken lawyer to Christ who became one of the greatest theologians ever. (the notes in the study Bible I use were written by Scofield)
It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment…When I stand before Christ at the judgment seat, I want Him to say of me, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
How about you???
Sunday December 27th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Looking Backward and Forward
Text: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2).
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:1–11
As we come to the end of one year and approach the beginning of a new year, it would be profitable to take a look backward and count our blessings and then take a look forward and make our plans to cooperate with the Lord. The first few verses of Peter’s second epistle provide us with an opportunity to look at some of the blessings God has bestowed on us in the past. It also provides us with some words of instruction and encouragement to live a life in which we are growing spiritually and serving significantly.
Peter addressed his message “to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 1:1). He wrote from the perspective of an aged pastor who was living on the edge of eternity. He spoke of his body as a tabernacle, or tent, from which he would soon depart. He referred to his approaching death as his “exodus,” or departure—the word used for the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt.
The apostle called to the attention of his readers the exceeding great and precious gifts from God to them through Jesus Christ. These two verses are a spiritual treasure chest that reveal the blessings that God has bestowed on believers through Jesus Christ. The generosity of God’s provisions for his children is magnified and emphasized.
“All things that pertain unto life and godliness.” In Christ Jesus, believers have received everything necessary for experiencing the abundant life. It is unnecessary for them to turn to any other teacher or discipline to be all God would have them to be.
“Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” Through the beauty and the glory of the life and character of Jesus Christ, God calls all people to himself. The initiative belongs with God. Salvation is of the Lord. The human response to the gospel is a voluntary commitment of faith that makes possible the bestowal of these divine gifts.
“The exceeding great and precious promises.” The Bible is a record of God’s promises to his people. The Old Testament contains a continuing series of promises concerning the Messiah who was to come. Peter had witnessed the fulfillment of these exceeding great and precious promises in the person and life of Jesus Christ.
Jesus made many promises to his disciples. We will greatly enrich our spiritual life and deepen our faith if we will discover these promises, claim them for our own, and move forward depending on the Lord to keep his promises as people of faith have done in the past.
“That by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” Faith in the promises of God makes possible the new birth. The new birth does not produce a divinity in people, but it does mean that the divine character, the divine nature. This new nature provides the believer with the possibility of experiencing and demonstrating the holiness, the tenderness, the gentleness, and the power of God.
By every means at our command, we should cooperate with the Holy Spirit as he seeks to develop the new nature we received in the miracle of the new birth.
“Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Through their experience with Jesus Christ, believers receive the potential for complete deliverance from the powerful evil forces that work in the world. Christ has granted forgiveness from sin. He provides spiritual power to overcome the contaminating presence of evil in the world. Through faith in him and through obedience to him, we can be victorious over the assaults of the devil.
The gift of new life has been given to those who had put faith in the promises of God. This new life is like a divine seed that needs to be developed by earnest care. Spiritual growth will not take place automatically or accidentally. Peter encouraged his readers to hasten with all diligence to cooperate with the Spirit of God in developing the beautiful graces that are associated with spiritual maturity.
As we enter a new year, we should give careful consideration to these words of encouragement from the apostle Peter.
“Giving all diligence, add to your faith.” Faith is the human response to God’s grace that makes possible the gift of new life. Faith is the basic foundation for all spiritual growth and service.
Peter challenged his readers to supplement their faith with the Christian graces that are needed for fruitful Christian living. Seemingly, each of the graces mentioned grows out of the preceding grace. The word translated “add” probably would be more correctly translated by the word “supply.” This word was used by the Greeks to describe the actions of those who provided financial resources for the production of the great plays and dramas. It was also used for the action of furnishing the provisions and supplies for an army. Peter declared that Christians are to supplement their faith with these virtues, which are actually the pieces of equipment needed for the living of a genuine Christian life.
The apostle gave us a blueprint for spiritual progress.
In your faith, supply virtue. Faith makes possible the power by which virtue is to be developed. The word virtue means courage, moral excellence, a noble character. It is not tame and passive; it is active, aggressive, and on the march.
To virtue, supply knowledge. In the practice of virtue an effort is put forth to gain knowledge, which is practical skill in choosing the right and refusing the wrong. To secure this knowledge, one must make a diligent study of God’s Word.
To knowledge supply temperance or self-control. Self-restraint enables a person to curb his evil impulses and resist the lures of sin in the world that surrounds him. Each person must be in command of his own moods and impulses, or his life will end in ruin.
To temperance supply patience. The grace needed is endurance, steadfastness, fortitude, perseverance. Patience is that attitude of determination that enables a person to stay under the load until the victory is won.
And to patience add godliness. Godliness is that trait that characterizes the life of a person who lives continually “as seeing him who is invisible.” Perhaps this grace refers to the growth of the divine nature received in the new birth.
To godliness supply brotherly kindness. The life of reverence for God is issued in brotherly kindness. The genuine worship of God will affect one’s attitude toward fellow human beings (1 John 4:20).
To brotherly kindness supply love. The crown of Christian graces is love. Paul affirmed that love is the chief gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 13:13). It was concerning Peter’s love that the Lord had inquired ( John 21:15–17). Peter recognized and commended the believer’s love for Christ (1 Peter 1:8) and encouraged love within the Christian brotherhood (1 Peter 1:22).
The apostle Peter was concerned that his readers experience the benefits that flow from spiritual maturity. He was eager that they escape the tragic results of persistent immaturity (1 Peter 2:8–9).
The story is told of a church program where little Johnny was to present the 23rd Psalm. He was having problems remembering his lines. When it was his turn, he stood up, was scared and then began…”The Lord is my shepherd…..and that’s all I need to know.!”
Sunday December 20th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
*Title: Good News of Great Joy
Text: “The angel said to them, ‘Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people’”
(Luke 2:10 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8–14
On this Lord’s Day morning immediately before Christmas, many of us are experiencing the joy, peace, and happiness that come during this festive season. On the other hand, many others are experiencing the agony of what is known as the “Christmas blues.”
Why is it that some people feel blue at Christmas? There are a number of contributing factors.
Some experience depression at Christmastime because they have exaggerated expectations of themselves and others. They hope that Christmas will solve their problems, and when it doesn’t, they go into despondency.
Christmas brings out our need for dependence on others. At times others fail us, and this can be very depressing.
In the United States, Christmas is a family-oriented experience that often causes memories to come to the fore. Some of these blight rather than bless, hurt rather than help.
Does the message of Christmas, which is supposed to produce great joy, have anything relevant to say to people who are depressed? Christianity, which begins with the promise of good news that will bring great joy, should be more than just a strategy that enables us to cope with the pressures of life. Through the Christ who came at the first Christmas, God provides us with the ability to cope with life in a manner that will bring joy to us and will reflect his glory. The gospel, which is not good advice but good news, can produce great joy in living every day.
The angels who announced the birth of the Christ to the shepherds were bringing good news that continues to be good news for all who will listen and respond.
There is good news about God in the gospel.
The message of Christmas is that the God behind and above it all is a living God. The Bible does not seek to tell us when and how our universe came into being. Its major concern is with the who and the why. The writer of the book of Hebrews declared, “By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God” (Heb. 11:3 RSV). The message of Christmas speaks to us of a living God who is above and behind the world. He is the God who comes into this world. He wants to dissipate our fears and encourage us to live a life of faith.
The message of Christmas proclaims the good news about the living God who loves. In Jesus Christ, the living God declares to us that he cares and that he wants to help us. In Jesus Christ, God came into this world bringing great and precious gifts to humankind.
The good news of Christmas is for all people.
The good news of Christmas is universal in its application, for it meets the deepest needs of people of all colors, cultures, and countries.
God in Jesus Christ comes with good news regarding the forgiveness of sin. Forgiveness does not appear in the glossary of a psychiatric dictionary. The psychiatrist does not have a basis for offering the gift of forgiveness to those who are experiencing depression because they have broken God’s law or violated their own conscience. Jesus Christ came that he might bear the penalty of our sin and offer to us the priceless gift of forgiveness.
Jesus Christ brings good news regarding life. Around the world in every age people have stood in terror before the grim specter of death. Christ came to bring life to those who were in spiritual death because of sin (cf. John 1:4; 10:10; Rom. 6:23). The assurance of a life that endures beyond the curtain that people call death can do much to dispel the gloom that threatens the souls of humans.
Jesus Christ brings good news about belonging to God and to the family of God. The church is spoken of as the family of God and the house- hold of faith. A warm, wonderful Sunday worship can provide tremendous support for one who is experiencing stress. A genuine Christian friend can be of tremendous value in a time of crisis. In this Christmas season, let us extend hands of Christian love and fellowship to those who are experiencing loneliness and discouragement.
Jesus Christ brings good news regarding help. Every one of us will stand in need of the help of God and others as time goes by. Paul said, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13 RSV). The psalmists bore testimony, saying, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:2 RSV), and “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1 RSV).
The Christ brings to us the good news concerning a precious home at the end of the road (John 14:1–3). Many home owners consider their home to be their best investment. But there are others who never have the joy of owning a house they can call their own. Through the grace of God and the provisions of his Son, Jesus Christ, all believers can look forward to having a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, when this life is over.
In a world in which much bad news is delivered to us each day by the internet, newspapers, radio, and television, let us listen to the good news that comes from God in and through Jesus Christ. Let us individually respond to the full implications of the good news the angels sang about on that first Christmas. Let us trust in Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah who came to meet the deepest needs of our lives. Let us trust in his death for the forgiveness of our sin and in his resurrected and living presence for the gift of eternal life. Let us face life with the resources he promises.
*This message based on a sermon written by TT Crabtree
Sunday December 13th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: And on Earth Peace
Text: “Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!’” (Luke 2:13–14 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:4–14
The great prophet Isaiah looked forward by the help of the Holy Spirit and gave gracious descriptive titles to the Messiah, who would be born in the distant future. We hear him say, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’” (Isa. 9:6 RSV).
One of the very significant words of Christmas is peace. The hearts of people everywhere hunger for peace. Many pray for peace. Some have wondered when Jesus Christ will bring peace. They have surmised that this peace will come only at the end of the age when he comes back as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Some have surmised that Jesus Christ is a failure as a peace-bringer. To take this position is to misunderstand the nature of true peace and the character of the peace that he brings to the human heart. Jesus had much to say about peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” ( John 14:27 RSV). Following his resurrection from the dead, our Lord greeted his apostles on three different occasions with “Peace be with you” ( John 20:19, 21, 26 RSV).
The word shalom is used to describe the health and well-being of individuals and true prosperity. It is used to describe the harmony that exists when there is an absence of war. Peace is the condition that prevails when everything is sound and solid and stable and dependable and reliable. The term shalom is used to describe the experience of salvation, particularly when the fruits of salvation are health, prosperity, well-being, and long life. The result is joy and blessing that come from doing God’s will. When there is an absence of this soundness and integrity in personal character and in personal relationships, the result is defeat, disunity, distrust, alienation, poverty, and misery.
God is the giver of
peace. In the Old Testament, this concept included material prosperity as well
as spiritual well-bring. Peace could not be enjoyed by those who walked away
from God in stubbornness and rebellion and in self-destructiveness. “There is no
peace, says my God, for the wicked” (Isa. 57:21 RSV).
Even God cannot give peace to one who is unwilling to live a life of faith and
faithfulness.
Jesus Christ, as the Prince of Peace, came into the world to help people enter
into a relationship with God and with self and with one another so that they can
enjoy this precious gift of shalom.
What did Jesus mean when he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you”
( John 14:27 RSV)?
To enjoy peace is to be in harmony with God and self and others and things.
Christ gives us the peace of a clean heart.
Christ came as the Lamb of God to take away our sin (John 1:29). Jesus Christ died on the cross under the penalty of our sin that he might save us from the condemnation of sin and return us to God.
As the Lord of life, Jesus offers us forgiveness of sin that is full, free, and forever. By his sacrificial death on the cross, he has made it possible for us to be cleansed from all sin (1 John 1:7).
Christ gives us the peace of a right relationship with God.
Until people enter into a faith relationship with the Father God, they experience a rupture or a shattered relationship. In many respects, this is like a broken bone or a dislocated joint. People stand in desperate need of entering back into a relationship with God that will bring inward peace.
To receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord into the heart is to be introduced into a child-Father relationship with God ( John 1:12).
We need to enter into a faith relationship with God so that we might be declared acceptable by God. This happens through faith in Christ, and we receive the peace of God (Rom. 5:1).
In this new relationship with God, we love him because we know that he first loved us (1 John 4:19).
Christ gives us the peace of a Spirit-controlled life.
The Lamb of God who came to take away the guilt of our sin comes in the Spirit to be the Lord of our life. He will deliver us from the power of sin.
Until we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, we can have no peace. It is only when we let the controlling authority of the Lord of love become real in our hearts that we begin to experience the true peace God has for us. This is in the background of Paul’s warning against seeking to cope with the pressures of life by means of some artificial stimulant or depressant. He said, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18 RSV). To seek help through alcohol is to worship a false god that will always disappoint. Only through the control of the Spirit of God rather than under the influence of an alcoholic spirit can we experience true control over our lives. In describing the end result of the fruit of the indwelling Spirit, we find that the individual experiences both peace and self-control (Gal. 5:22–23).
Christ gives to us the peace of a proper attitude toward others.
This new attitude is implied and is to be implemented by a commandment: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” ( John 13:34–35 NIV). Oh, the great inward peace that comes to the individual who relates to others in terms of unconditional love.
Christ gives us the peace of a worthy purpose for living.
Many people are anxious about their reason for being. Jesus encourages us to so let God do his good works within us that others cannot help but recognize the presence of God in our lives (Matt. 5:16). They will come to know God through our attitudes, actions, ambitions, and all that we seek to do. This kind of a purpose for being will bring God’s peace into your life.
Christ gives us the peace of adequate reserves for all situations.
Some people believe that having a sum of money in their wallet gives them peace, but that kind of peace is nothing compared to the peace of Christ. Paul spoke of this sense of adequacy that came to him as a result of his relationship with Jesus Christ (Phil. 4:13).
Jesus Christ offers you the peace of forgiveness that is full and free forever. Jesus offers the peace of belonging to the Father God and to the family of God. Jesus offers the peace of partnership and fellowship in his great work of bringing love, mercy, grace, power, and wisdom into the hearts and lives of people. Jesus offers the peace of his perfect provisions, not only in the present but in the future ( John 14:1–3). When Jesus Christ is in the heart, we do not have to worry about a home at the end of the way.
Jesus Christ is the peace-bringer to the individual heart. He will work to bring about harmony and peace within the relationships of the home and help you establish harmonious relationships with those about you. He came that there might be peace on earth among people of goodwill.
Sunday December 6th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Glory to God in the Highest
Text: “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. . . . And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!’” (Luke 2:9, 13 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8–14
The Scriptures declare that “the glory of the Lord shone around them” and that the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest.” John said, “We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” ( John 1:14 RSV). By his first miracle in Cana of Galilee, John records that Jesus “manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him” ( John 2:11 RSV).
“They were filled with fear.”
The glory of God was a visible manifestation of the invisible but powerful God. The glory of God was revealed in Old Testament days, indicating God’s presence, power, and authority.
In the exodus experience, the glory of the Lord appeared to the people in a cloud. “In a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night” (Ex. 13:21 RSV). By means of this brilliant and shining manifestation of his presence, God revealed himself to Israel in both grace and judgment.
When God instructed Moses concerning the building of the tabernacle and the services that were to be conducted there, he declared, “There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory” (Ex. 29:43 RSV).
Isaiah was to experience an awareness of the universal glory of God in his call experience (Isa. 6).
The glory of God was a visible manifestation of his burning presence in Old Testament days. It created an attitude of dread and fear and anxiety in the hearts of men and women because they felt unworthy to come into the presence of this holy God.
Christ came to manifest the glory of God and to bring glory to God. John said, “We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” ( John 1:14 RSV). Jesus, in his great High Priestly Prayer recorded in John 17, said to the Father, “I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do; and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made. I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them to me, and they have kept thy word” ( John 17:4–6 RSV).
Jesus revealed the grace and truth about God in what he said.
Jesus revealed the grace and truth about God in the works of mercy, kindness, and helpfulness that he did.
Jesus revealed the grace of God supremely in his sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus went to the cross because of the command of the Father and because he wanted to demonstrate to an unbelieving world the greatness of his love for the Father ( John 14:31). Jesus went to the cross for the joy of the benefit that would accrue to people as a result of this new revelation of the glory of God (Heb. 12:2).
The followers of Christ are encouraged to glorify God.
The heavenly hosts praised God and sang, “Glory to God in the highest.” If we would glorify God in the highest, we must also glorify God here in the present. If we would glorify God, we must be visible manifestations of his presence in the world today. We must let him live within us in such a way that others can see his grace and goodness.
There are at least three different ways in which we can glorify God.
We are to glorify God in our bodies. “So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:20 RSV). The New International Version translates this verse, “Therefore honor God with your body.” The Good News translation translates this phrase, “So use your bodies for God’s glory.”
It is possible for us to glorify God in our bodies because Jesus Christ has come to dwell within us through faith (Eph. 3:17). We have become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
It is with our bodies that we are to glorify God. Annie Johnson Flint expressed it well in her poem “The World’s Bible”:
Christ has no hands but our hands To do His work today;
He has no feet but our feet To lead men in His way;
He has no tongue but our tongues To tell men how He died;
He has no help but our help To bring men to His side.
We are not to use our bodies for immoral purposes, for they have been made for the Lord (1 Cor. 6:13–14).
We are to glorify God by bearing much fruit (John 15:8). Our Lord declared, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples” (RSV). There are at least two kinds of fruit that we can experience and by which we can glorify God.
We can cultivate the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23). The Holy Spirit has been given to us in order that he might reproduce within us the character and the very nature of Jesus Christ. As we let the Holy Spirit produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, we will become living exhibitions of what God can do when he is permitted to come and live in the hearts of human beings.
We can experience the fruit of the seed sower and, by so doing, bring glory to God (Matt. 13:1–9). As we sow the seed of the Word of God in the hearts and lives of those about us, some will hear and respond. Some will believe and be saved. Some will reflect God’s grace and glory, and we will experience the joy of the harvester who comes with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Ps. 126:6). Every gardener knows that you plant seeds but not all will produce plants, but the ones that do grow produce more fruit.
We are to glorify God by good works (Matt. 5:16). Our Lord, in the Sermon on the Mount, said that we are to live as an example of what God can do in the hearts of those who obey Jesus Christ.
The believers in the Thessalonian church were glorifying God with their good works. They demonstrated works of faith, labors of love, and great patience of hope. By so working, they were glorifying God.
Paul said, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27 RSV). The indwelling Christ is the hope that God has for us to manifest his presence in the world. The presence of Christ in each of us is the only hope that the world has today for beholding God’s glory and experiencing his loving presence.
God could have written His message of Christ’s love in the sky, but He didn’t…He left the job of spreading the message to us. What this world needs is Christ and it is up to you and me. You say, “but preacher, I am only one.” Well Christ started out with only 12 men (and one of them was no good), and they turned the world upside down.
The Christ of Christmas came long ago, but he comes today to live in our hearts. The indwelling Christ is God’s hope for revealing his presence through you. Christ in you is the basis for your hope for a home in God’s final glory.
Sunday November 29th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Psalm 37:1-16
You can win over worry
Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
We all have our share of worries. Illness, job, and financial, are some of the more important ones. We also worry over things we don’t need to worry about.
But preacher, you don’t understand. I try, but I still worry about it. Let us look today at some of the ways we can overcome worry.
Romans 14:8 tells us “whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” Dedicated Christians do not neglect their prayer lives. Dedicated Christians do not fail to study the Bible, or falter in church attendance. Devotion to the things of God brings release from self and selfish concerns. If you take time to study God’s Word and dwell on it, you will not have time to worry nor will you be inclined to worry. The next time you start to worry about anything…dust off your Bible, take it off the shelf (or from under that old pile of magazines and newspapers)…read it and study it. All those worries will disappear. Devotion to things of God brings release from self and selfish concerns. Dedication, plus God’s assistance, through the Holy Spirit, helps us win over worry Romans 12:1.
The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 37:5 “commit thy way unto the Lord…and he shall bring it to pass.” Too many Christians depend on their own weak and finite power. They will always result in failure and frustration. As we surrender our will and weaknesses to God’s perfect will and infinite power, He is able to carry the responsibility for our life, freeing us from excessive care and concern. Proverbs 3:5-7 “Good morning this is God and I will be handling all you problems today….and I don’t need your help.” We must depend on God…Let go, Let God!
Worries can be gotten rid of by delighting in God. Phil 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.” Worry dispels the Christian’s delight in the Lord. We win over worry when we count our blessings, and discount our losses, look for good, overlook the bad, forgive ourselves and forgive others.
You can overcome worried by diligence for God. II Cor 5:14 “For the love of Christ constraineth us.” When it comes to doing God’s work, some Christians are unconcerned. Some are just plain lazy. In either case, these Christians are unhappy and unfulfilled. Busy Christians are happy Christians. When we work for God, we forget about our own difficulties. The Lord cares for those who give him first place in their lives. Colossians 3:23-24
Finally you can overcome worries by direction from God. John 16:13 tells us “howbeit, when he the spirit of truth is come, he will guild you into all truth.” Many Christians are looking for direction in their lives. They rightfully want their lives to be meaningful and to have purpose….but they neglect to read His Word. “Study to show thyself approved unto God.” We read the newspaper to keep informed. We listen to the radio, the TV, the local gossip, whatever, to keep up on what is going on around us. But we do not find time to ready the Word of God. No wonder we have some much time on our hands that we have time to worry.
When we make a total commitment of our lives to God, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts, then and only then can we stand on His promise that “he will guide you unto all truth.”
We say, every promise in the Book is mine….but only if you make the Book yours!
I am human too, when I was told 26 years ago that I only had 6 months to live, I went home and hugged my wife and cried my eyes out. Then God hit me in the back of the head and I heard Him say, “What are you crying about? You are in my hands.” God still moves stones!!
Worry has no place in a life directed by God. Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thy own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths….”
Sunday November 22nd, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Peter’s Restoration
Text: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31–32).
Scripture Reading: John 21:1–19
How bitter were the tears of Peter as he wept over his denial of Jesus! Peter was denying with oaths that he knew Jesus. “And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:60–62). Would he ever have a chance to confess to Jesus and ask forgiveness? Did he remember the Lord’s words in the upper room as recorded in Luke 22:31–32? Since apparently none of the disciples expected the resurrection, Peter must have felt perplexed as well as discouraged, thinking that in the death of Jesus all hope had died.
Peter loved Jesus. He was not as Judas, who for a price had bargained to betray him. He was a saved man who had stumbled over Satan’s snare; but he stumbled toward Jesus.
The late Dr. W. W. Hamilton asked three questions and answered them as follows: “Do you think sinners will get to heaven? They are the only persons who will. Do Christians sin? Saved sinners are the only kind of Christians. Do you love the Lord? Not nearly as much as I ought, but, better still, he loves me.” The significant factor in Peter’s restoration was that Jesus loved him. He loved him enough to convict him of his sin. If God did not love us, he could leave us alone. As a parent who loves his child will discipline him, God loves his children enough to convict them of sin and to discipline them. Hebrews 12:5–13 will reward your careful reading. Jesus loved Peter enough to pray for him. Jesus loved Peter enough to go to him.
Jesus prayed for Peter a revealing prayer (Luke 22:31–32).
The place of Satan in temptation is limited.
By the permissive will of God. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). Satan had to have God’s permission to test Peter.
In the ancient book of Job, Satan had to report to God and get permission to test Job (see Job 1:6–12; 2:1–6). Christianity rejects the idea that in the battle between good and evil the ultimate issue is in doubt. There will be bruises on both sides, but ultimately the Messiah will crush Satan (Gen. 3:15). Jesus will be enthroned and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire.
Satan was permitted to “sift as wheat” but not to burn as chaff. The threshing of wheat by the sifting process will not hurt the wheat. God will overrule so good will come out of what Satan intends for evil. Peter needed his pride, conceit, and self-confidence exploded.
Satan was limited by Jesus’ prayer, “that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:32). Jesus’ prayer was answered. Peter’s faith did not fail. He lost face; he backslid in conduct; but he did not lose his faith. Jesus promises that he will never give Satan the power to take salvation from a saved person. On the contrary, he pledges eternal life, which would not be eternal if it could be lost. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” ( John 10:27–30). “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the utter- most that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). Because Jesus intercedes for his people, pleading the merit of his atoning blood, Peter was safe, as are all other believers.
Jesus expressed confidence that Peter’s backsliding would turn from sin to service. Then he would entrust him again with work to do. “And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32). Simon would become Peter; the backslider would be restored; he would preach and souls would be saved.
Jesus sought Peter.
“But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you” (Mark 16:7). These are the words of the angel to the women at the tomb. How gracious of our Lord to send a special message to Peter, who needed it most.
Sometime during that first Resurrection Day, the Lord appeared to Peter. The disciples in the upper room greeted Cleopas and his companion with the astonishing news: “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34).
There is no record of that meeting of our Lord and Peter. It was too personal, too precious to record. We can imagine the hot tears of repentance, the full confession, and the kisses of reconciliation.
The restoration of Peter (John 21:1–19).
Since Peter had denied publicly, he must be restored publicly.
The situation (John 21:1–14). It is not too difficult to persuade a fisherman to go fishing. As soon as Peter announced that he was going fishing, he was promptly joined by Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two unnamed disciples. The miracle of the great catch of fish at the time Peter and Andrew, James and John had been called to follow Jesus as full-time ministers (see Luke 5:1–11) was reenacted. John was the first to perceive that the stranger on the shore was Jesus. Peter impulsively jumped into the sea to go to him. All of the seven recognized him. “None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord” (John 21:12 NIV). John preserved the memory of an eyewitness as he remembered the exact number of large fish that were caught.
Jesus probed Peter’s love. “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” (John 21:15). In the context, “these” could refer either to the disciples or to the fish. Peter had affirmed in the upper room, “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended” (Matt. 26:33). Peter had left the fishing business to fish for men. Did his return to a night of fishing signal a retreat from full discipleship? In his reply, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee,” Peter did not use the same strong word for love that Jesus used in his question. Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” The question was repeated the second time with the response, “Feed my sheep.” Again Jesus asked the question, but he dropped his strong word for love and used Peter’s word.
Peter had denied Jesus three times, yet he was grieved that Jesus repeated his question three times. He said, “Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.” He seemed to be saying, “Lord, I know I haven’t acted like it. I’ve caused others to doubt my love to you, but, Lord, you can look down into my heart. You know that in spite of all appearances, I love you.” Peter would not even then come up to Jesus’ word for love. He was thoroughly humbled, but he had been forgiven and restored publicly as an apostle. He would shepherd the Lord’s sheep.
A tender word for Peter (John 21:18–19). Jesus predicted that Peter would be loyal even to the point of dying a martyr’s death. He would be crucified in loyalty to his Lord. Jesus said, “Keep on following me.”
“Do you love me?” Jesus asks. Do you love Jesus? He is not asking, “Do you like me?” but rather, “Do you love me?” Love in this sense is almost synonymous with loyalty or obedience. “If you love me, you will obey my commandments” ( John 14:15 GNT). “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who loves me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them” ( John 14:21 GNT). The proof of love is obedience. “Follow me.” “Feed my sheep.”
If as Peter we backslide, we shall find Jesus ready to forgive. In fact, he loves us so much that, rather than let us go on in sin, he will convict us of sin. Because of this, we shall ask forgiveness.
Sunday November 15th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Peter Denies His Lord
Text: “Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew” (John 18:27).
Scripture Reading: John 18:1–40
The Bible is always fair but frank. It records faults as clearly as virtues. Its portrayal is true to life. It presents Peter as the rock on the day of Pentecost, but it does not hesitate to tell that he was Satan’s mouthpiece at Caesarea Philippi and to record in detail his denials of Jesus.
No Christian is sinless; every Christian strives to be. No Christian continues willfully in sin, but Satan trips up the best Christians at times. His attack is often sudden and always subtle. In Simon Peter’s denials and restoration are warnings we shall do well to heed and assurances of grace in which we can rejoice.
Let us look at the record.
First in the upper room.
The disciples continued their contention over who would have first place in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:24). How foreign this was to the spirit of Jesus, who stooped low to wash the feet of the disciples ( John 13:1–20).
Jesus knew that Judas had bargained with the rulers to betray him. “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” ( John 6:70). Jesus is troubled in spirit. He predicted that Judas would betray him, although the disciples did not understand the sign Jesus gave them ( John 13:21–30).
Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him three times before daybreak ( John 13:36–38).
Peter protested vigorously. “Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death” (Luke 22:33). “But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all” (Mark 14:31). Every one of them said the same thing.
The Lord had very graciously prayed for Peter (Luke 22:31– 32). Peter seemed offended that Christ should pray for him. “Pride goeth before destruction” (Prov. 16:18). “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).
We go to the garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:30, 36–46; Mark 14:26, 32–42; Luke 22:39–46).
Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to watch with him while he prayed. He said, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Luke 22:40). They went to sleep. They had no appreciation of the Lord’s anguish nor of their own need to strengthen themselves by prayer against temptation.
Now we see the betrayal and arrest of Jesus, Peter showed that he was not a coward. He rashly pulled out his sword and cut off the right ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest (see Matt. 26:47–58; John 18:2–12). He probably tried to cut off his head. “Then Jesus said unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Matt. 26:52–54). “Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled” (Matt. 26:56). Fearful, yet drawn by love and curiosity, “Peter followed him afar off ” (Matt. 26:58). According to the Scriptures, they all ran off like a bunch of scared rabbits.
All four of the Gospels carry accounts of Peter’s denials. They differ enough to indicate that they are independent accounts. Perhaps in some of the denials more than one person accused Peter. This sermon will primarily follow John’s account in John 18. The denials took place Friday before or about dawn.
At the gate of the court of the high priest’s residence (John 18:15–17). Peter and John followed Jesus. John was known to the high priest and was admitted to the courtyard. It is pure speculation, but it may be that he had sold fish there. John returned to request the maid who kept the door to allow Peter to enter. “Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not” ( John 18:17). How strange that one who had not feared Pilate, nor soldiers, nor the Sanhedrin, would be frightened into a denial by a slave girl!
Now we go by the fire in the courtyard (John 18:18–25). The night was cold. The servants and officers were warming themselves by a fire of coals. Peter joined the group and warmed himself by the enemy’s fire. A maid, a man, and others said unto him, “Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not” ( John 18:25; cf. Matt. 26:69–72; Mark 14:66–70; Luke 22:55–58).
Then Peter winds up in the court by the kinsman of Malchus. “And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest” (Luke 22:59–60). John wrote, “One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again: and immediately, the cock crew” ( John 18:26–27). Luke added, “And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:60–62). Jesus’ anguished look broke Peter’s heart, but it must also have been a look of assurance. Peter had not lost faith, but he had lost face and courage. He would later bitterly confess it all. He was humbled and weak and was now ready for help and strength.
Why did Peter backslide?
Because of self-sufficiency. “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered” (Prov. 28:26). Others may need to be careful, but not I.
And there was spiritual negligence.
The lack of prayer. Peter was asleep when he should have been praying. There is power in worship, both private and public.
He did not rightly apprehend the meaning of the cross nor the nature of Christ’s kingdom. His perplexity added to his discouragement. He did believe in Jesus, however, even as he denied him.
He warmed himself at the enemy’s fire. He followed afar off. He stayed at the gate rather than going on in with John.
He underestimated the power of sin. Satan is cunning—“As a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
We need to profit by Peter’s experience. You have never denied Jesus by oaths and cursing. Be not proud but humble. Watch and pray.
Have you ever been in a group in which some unchristian action was proposed, and by your silence you denied the Lord?
Was Peter lost? If he had died while cursing and swearing would he have gone to hell? Was he at heart a hypocrite? No! A thousand times, no! He was not another Judas. God does not cast off a Christian when he or she sins any more than a loving parent disowns a disobedient child. If one were lost whenever he or she fell short of God’s glory, salvation would be of self. The child of God hears the cock crow and sees the look of Jesus. In bitter tears, the believer repents and confesses to God with the assurance that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Every one of us is human and we can fail our Savior too if we fail to enter into daily prayer and fellowship with Him by prayer and by studying His Word.
We are exhorted to take heed lest we fall. (I Corinthians 10:12). If the Apostle Peter can fail and fall, what makes us think we are immune?
Sunday November 8th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: The Power to Say No
Text: “Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land” (Ex. 8:25).
Scripture Reading: Exodus 8:25–28; 10:9–11, 24
In the English language one of the hardest words to say is no. Of course it is not hard to pronounce, but it is difficult to say no to some entreaties. For example, saying no to an abundance of food is hard for most Americans. When crumb cake is offered to me, I cannot say no. In most every case I yield.
God’s people have numerous solicitations from Satan to compromise. One of the hardest responses is to say no or to resist the devil. When Moses prepared the people to leave Egypt, Pharaoh made some interesting proposals of compromise. In each case, Moses led the people to say no. Let us notice the compromise.
Satan seeks to retain God’s people (Ex. 8:25–28).
Pharaoh had a solution. When Moses requested Pharaoh to let the Hebrews leave Egypt, Pharaoh presented a compromise. “Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land” (Ex. 8:25). He wanted the Hebrew people to remain in Egypt. If he could keep them in the land, they would remain slaves.
Now Satan steps in. Satan loses the main battle when a person becomes a Christian. The warfare continues though. The opposition of God seeks to persuade the child of God to “stay in the land.” He urges us to be borderline Christians.
Satan urges God’s people to neglect family care (Ex. 10:9–11).
Then there is the solicitation of Pharaoh, again. When Moses confronted Pharaoh on another occasion, Pharaoh presented a compromise proposal. “Let the Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord; for that ye did desire” (Ex. 10:10–11). Pharaoh wanted to split the Hebrew family. He knew that if he could divide the house- hold, the nation would soon die.
This is the solicitation of Satan. Satan seeks to destroy the family unit in today’s society. He opposes God’s divine intention, which is one man for one woman until death parts them. The opposer of God seeks to get families to compromise with regard to spiritual care and nurture.
Satan desires God’s people to leave possessions out of their commitment to the Lord (Ex. 10:24).
We see the solicitation of Pharaoh, taking another twist. Moses’ additional request to Pharaoh for release was again met with another compromise. “Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you” (Ex. 10:24). Pharaoh agreed to let Israel leave and worship God, but he insisted that they leave their flocks and herds behind. Moses refused, for he knew the people needed the flocks and herds to make sacrifices.
The devil always desires halfhearted commitment from God’s people. He wants professing Christians to compromise regarding the stewardship of possessions. Those who think they can serve the Lord without any responsibility to possessions have yielded to a satanic compromise.
The hardest response for a Christian to make is to say no to a plausible compromise. Moses’ ability to refuse Pharaoh came from the Lord. God will give you strength to say no to the things of this world.
Sunday November 1st, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: When God Brings Reassurance
Text: “God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord” (Ex. 6:2).
Scripture Reading: Exodus 6:2–13
Moses was greatly discouraged over the opposition of Pharaoh, but God came to bring him a great reassurance. He promised that Moses would see God at work against Pharaoh.
Fighting the enemy and standing for God’s way often causes God’s people to be weary. Paul said it was possible to be “weary in well doing” (Gal. 6:9). When we become weary, we have a tendency to doubt, so we need God’s reassurance. Let us look at the great assurance God gives.
God assures us of his character (Ex. 6:2–3).
The majesty of God. God brought to Moses’ remembrance his names. The names disclosed God’s character. “I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them” (Ex. 6:3). God Almighty (Heb., El Shaddai) means “Mountain God.” In this name there is the feeling of fear and trembling in the face of God’s overwhelming majesty.
Nothing brings greater assurance than a new insight into the majesty of God. We need a new sense of awe about God’s greatness.
The God who relates. The climactic step in God’s revelation to Moses came with the disclosure of God’s new name as Jehovah or Yahweh. The new name assured Moses that God continued to relate to Israel in a personal way.
God assures us by his covenant (Ex. 6:4–5).
God’s faithfulness in the past. God told Moses of his faithful covenant to the patriarchs. “I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers” (Ex. 6:4). God told Moses that he had been faithful in the past.
Look at God’s work with his people in previous years. He has never renounced one of his promises. When God makes a covenant, he will be faithful.
God’s pledge for the future. After reminding Moses of his past faithfulness, the Lord pledged the trustworthiness of his word to Israel in bondage. “I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant” (Ex. 6:5). God pledges to fulfill his covenant with Israel.
Much of the Christian’s assurance is the promise of God. Let us trust the covenant that God has made with us. He will do exactly what he said.
God assures us of his challenges (Ex. 6:6–13).
The promise to
anticipate. Seven Hebrew verbs portrayed what God promised to do for Israel:
“bring you out,” “rid you,” “redeem you,”
“take you,” “will be to you a God,” “bring you,” “give you.” All of these
promises related to the Lord’s redemptive activity of Israel and the gift of a
land for their possession. Slaves in Egypt had a wonderful promise to
anticipate.
God’s people have a great future. God has made bountiful promises of what is ahead for the Christian. God has made marvelous promises about life on earth and even greater promises about life after death.
The charge to obey. God challenged Moses to proclaim faithfully the Lord’s will despite the circumstances. He charged Moses to combat opposition of Pharaoh and to counteract the indifference of the Hebrews. God challenged Moses to obey him despite obstacles and hindrances encountered in the process.
God’s reassurance does not come with promises of an easy road. He forecasts obstacles and hindrances, but he gives a challenge to obey him, regardless of anything.
Are you discouraged in your work for God? Has persistent doing good made you tired? Has the lack of response caused you distress? God can encourage you and bring great comfort. Listen to him say, “I am the Lord.”
Remember God plus you equals a majority!
Sunday October 25th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Doing God’s Will, Not Ours
Text: “Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3).
Scripture Reading: Jonah 1:1–17; 4:7–11
How many of you remember being taught the story of Johan and the whale?….sorry to burst your bubble, but the Bible calls it a great fish…not a whale.
A little girl was giving a presentation to her class at school and she told of Jonah and the whale. Her teacher corrected her and told her a whale’s throat was too small to swallow a man. The girl responded, when I get to heaven I will ask Jonah….well what if Jonah didn’t get to heaven asked the teacher…..then you ask him was the girl’s reply.
We know that Jonah lived sometime before or while Jeroboam II ruled in Israel, because he prophesied the conquests of this great king (2 Kings 14:25). This means he preached about the eighth century before Christ or sometime earlier.
Since Jonah’s prophecy
was favorable to Jeroboam, he must have been a popular prophet at first. Perhaps
he had a large following and thus was reluctant to go to Nineveh with a message
of God’s judgment. Nineveh was the capital of the great Assyrian Empire, the
archenemy of Israel. Four steps pre-dominated the ministry of Jonah as recorded
in the book that bears his name.
Jonah at first ran from God.
The call to Nineveh was far more significant than appears at first sight. For Jonah to preach to the enemy would have caused a serious loss of popularity among his fellow citizens. The average Israelite of Jonah’s day probably did not care whether Assyria lived or died. In fact, he probably preferred the latter. Assyria was competition to Israel commercially and a potential threat militarily. Why should the average Israelite feel any necessity to bring Assyria into favor with God? Perhaps Jonah felt he could hear the people say, “Why waste a good preacher on those pagan people?”
So Jonah rebelled against God’s call. When he caught a boat at Joppa, the exact destination is not important, but Jonah was going in an opposite direction from Assyria. This happens so often when people rebel against God’s will. They travel to a different place, sometimes even morally, and find themselves in a far country of disobedience. God is always present, however, even when we are out of fellowship with him. He forever stands within the shadow and keeps watch over his own. The mighty tempest in the sea was no freak of nature but was planned by God.
Are you in rebellion to God’s will? We will never find peace with God until we are saved by Christ. We will never know, as Christians, the peace that passes all understanding until we are obedient to God’s will. God may not call us to a place of service that the world considers significant, but wherever he wills for us to serve is important, and we should delight in prompt obedience.
Jonah next ran to God.
The second chapter is a prayer of Jonah in which he gave thanks. He had already been delivered from the big fish. Part of the chapter is a flashback in which he described his previous condition before his deliverance. We are not told all of the details concerning Jonah’s repentance and his eventual willingness to obey God. The last scene we have in chapter 1 is of Jonah being cast into the sea and the men actually turning to worship Jehovah, Jonah’s God, when the sea became calm.
To run from God is a traumatic experience, but to surrender to him can be an equally emotional decision. Some Christians must be chastised greatly before they will do the thing God wants them to do. Many ministers and laypersons alike tell stories of how God “whipped them into line” before they would be faithful in service. Others, of course, need only mild corrections. Jonah’s experience was, in many ways, as traumatic as that of Saul the persecutor.
Jonah did best when he ran with God.
God always gives us another chance. We cannot be certain where the fish delivered Jonah, but the prophet was ready to listen to the call! This second call must have been briefer, for God merely said that Jonah should do the thing he had told him to do in the first place.
How often does God have to tell you something…I know in my home growing up, mom or dad only had to say something once…even though their math was off…didn’t I tell you a million times?......
The city of Nineveh was one of the great metropolitan areas of the ancient world. The “three days” refers to the time that it took to go through the city, not the time it took Jonah to reach it from where he landed on the shore. The message was brief. The Hebrew is quite literal—“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” When one works with God, great blessings are available. In fact, there is no limit to what can be done in God’s kingdom when one is fully committed to God’s will.
Jonah preached and God did the blessing. The king repented. Those who treat this story as merely a parable should familiarize themselves with the history of Assyria. There was a period preceding the beginning of the new kingdom under Tiglath-pileser III in 745 BC that seems an ideal time for the repentance of the Assyrian king. Several unexplained changes in policy occurred during this century, and we have every reason to believe that some of these were brought about directly because of Jonah’s preaching.
The repentance was complete. Personal sorrow for sin was evident. To have an effective revival, a community needs an intense feeling of the sinfulness of sin and of the necessity to change its course of action. The people of Nineveh were confronted with their sin and fled to God for mercy.
Sometimes good people run ahead of God.
If most of us were writing the story of Jonah, we would leave out chapter 4. Yet God saw fit to put it in! Why? Because spiritual pride is an ego-fulfilling experience rather than a humble declaration of God’s purpose in judgment and his delight in mercy.
The lesson God taught Jonah by means of the gourd should say to all of us that God has ways beyond us and we must never question his judgment. God’s purpose includes the world, not merely our small field of existence. He made everyone and loves everyone. Unless we understand this, we run counter to his purposes. Jonah was a great preacher, but even in the midst of a great evangelistic campaign in Assyria, he still had the need to “grow up” in understanding the complete nature of God. So do we!
To know God’s will is
not always easy. He does not speak audibly, but rather through his Word, the
Bible, and through deep impressions that he sends to us by means of the Holy
Spirit. Even Christ prayed, not my will but thing be done. At the wedding of
Cana of Galilee, Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to the people concerning Jesus,
“Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it” ( John 2:5). This is great advice for us
today.
Sunday October 18th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
The Work of the Holy Spirit
Before we can look at the work of the Holy Spirit we have to understand exactly who is the Holy Spirit. He is a person, part of the Trinity. He should not and cannot be referred to as “it”. Being the third person of the Trinity, He has existed eternally with the Father and the Son.
Although the word trinity is not used in the Scripture, the doctrine of the trinity is well documented throughout the Bible.
The Holy Spirit has many titles in Scripture. He is named as the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Holiness, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Life, the Spirit of Grace, and the Comforter.
The Holy Spirit is a definite personality:
He knows (I Corinthians 2:11), He feels (Romans 15:30), and He wills (I Corinthians 12:11).
As we now look at His work, we will divide it into four headings: His relationship to the world; His relationship to Christ; His relationship to the Scriptures; and His relationship to believers.
First, in relation to the world. The Holy Spirit was an agent in the creation of the world. In Genesis 1: 3 we read, “That the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters.” And in Job 33:4, “The Spirit of God hath made me…,” and another part of His work in the world is that He exhaults Christ before men. Our Lord said, “when He, the Spirit of Truth shall come….He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” (John 16:13-14). And finally in John 16:8-11 we read that the Spirit convicts men of sin, “and when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin….”
Secondly, in His relationship to Christ; the Holy Spirit prepared for Christ a body. (Luke 1:35) In Matthew 3:16-17 we find that the Holy Spirit anointed Christ at his baptism, “and he saw the Spirit of God, descending like a dove, and lighting on Him, and lo, a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And again when Peter was speaking in Acts 10:38, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power….”
And finally in Luke 4:14-18 we find that the Spirit empowered Him in His ministry.
Third, in relation to the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit plays an important part in the inspiration of the Scriptures. Two very familiar references to this fact are in 1 Peter 1:11, “searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”
And in 2 Peter 1:21, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” The Spirit of God is also actively engaged in the interpretation of Scripture. In John 16:14 we read, “and He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” In I Corinthians 2:14, we find that without the Spirit, man cannot know the Scriptures. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.”
And finally in Revelation 2:11, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, he that over-cometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”
Lastly, in relation to the believers: The Holy Spirit regenerates men. And excellent verse to show this is found in John 3:5; “Jesus answered, verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” After a man has been regenerated, the Holy Spirit indwells that person. I Corinthians 3;16 reads. “what know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” And in I Corinthians 6:19 “What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and ye are not your own?”
The Holy Spirit also seals the believer until the day of redemption. This is clearly taught in Ephesians 4:30: “and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Upon regenerating the sinful man,” the Holy Spirit then guides the believer. In Acts 8:29 we read how the Spirit guided Philip to tell the things of Christ to the Ethiopian eunich. As a result the eunich was lead to Christ.
I can give you several examples of the Spirit leading me to do things: when I gave the key to the church to Christine so she could practice and be able to play for us….when I went up to a performer at a concert and introduced myself to Anthony Liguori, (at an Elvis concert)….little did I know that introduction would lead to Anthony doing a fund raiser for us after Sandy, or how the Spirit led my father to form a relationship with a priest in the community which led for a place for us to worship while we rebuilt after Sandy. I could give you examples for hours how the Spirit of God has worked in our little church.
And lastly, the Spirit makes intercession for the believer. This is shown in Romans 8:26, “likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infermities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
These are only a few of the works of the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit is the very life of the church and His work cannot be completely enumerated.
This is what Dr. Charles Woodbridge has said about our relationship with the Holy Spirit:
The child of God is utterly dependent on the Spirit for his spiritual birth, life, victory, and service. The more yielded he is to his indwelling guest the happier, healthier, holier, and more hopeful he becomes. This is the Christian’s basic law of life. Would he experience daily the love and peace of the Savior? Would he live on the highest spiritual plane? Would he have victory over temptation? Would he have a song in his soul? Would he be a blessing to others wherever he goes? Then he MUST keep yielded to the Spirit. Only thus will his life and witness truly count for God.
Sunday October 11th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: The God Who Introduces Himself
Text: “God said unto Moses, I am THAT I am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you” (Ex. 3:14).
Scripture Reading: Exodus 3:1–22
Have you ever gone to a meeting where the first activity on the agenda was the introduction of ourselves. As you waited for your turn, I thought of how difficult it was to introduce oneself. What do you say about yourself? You do not want to say too much, yet you want to say enough. Introducing yourself can be difficult. God introduced himself to Moses. “Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?” (Ex. 3:13). God proceeded to give one of the clearest disclosures of himself. Let us notice some truths that God said about himself.
God described himself as a personal God.
The Old Testament disclosures of God are personal. When God revealed himself to humankind, he disclosed himself in personal terms. He talked with man. “The Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” (Gen. 3:9). God is described as walking with human beings: “And Enoch walked with God” (Gen. 5:24).
God shared feelings in a personal way. “God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Ex. 2:24). God is not an impersonal force. He is not an unmoved mover. He is the Lord God Almighty, a personal God.
The New Testament disclosures of God are personal. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). God came in human flesh to give us understandable disclosure of himself. Because Jesus came to earth, he identified with personal problems and situations.
God disclosed himself in a personal Holy Spirit. God is at work in the world today in a personal way. He works through his Holy Spirit to convince the unsaved of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He seeks entry into human lives. When a person opens his or her life to God, the Holy Spirit lives within that person. The Holy Spirit is not a force or influence. He is a person. He should never be referred to as “it”.
God disclosed himself as a powerful God.
The Old Testament discloses God as powerful. The Old Testament begins with God’s ability to create a world out of nothing. It continues with his ability to destroy the world with a flood. When God introduced himself to Moses, he made it clear that he had the power to deliver Israel from the Egyptians. Look through the Old Testament, and the prominent fact of God’s power emerges.
The New Testament discloses God as powerful. One cannot read about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ without seeing God’s power. Jesus’ miracles dramatically disclose his power. He showed his power over nature by calming a storm. He commanded demons with authority. He healed handicaps and disease. And he even defeated death.
God is still as powerful as he ever was. He is changing lives. Look around and see the lives he is in the process of changing.
God disclosed himself as a preeminent God.
The Old Testament reveals God as one who tolerates no rival. Pharaoh sought to get the Israelites to compromise. God spoke through Moses about total commitment to him. He would not tolerate partial allegiance to Jehovah and partial allegiance to Egypt. Throughout all of the Old Testament, God demanded allegiance to him and to him alone.
Jesus allowed for no divided loyalty. He forbade a man to buy a farm before following him. He left a man who wanted to try out some oxen. He stated quite clearly, “No man can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24). He demanded preeminence in a person’s life.
God deserves preeminence. God can command undivided loyalty because he is the only true God. If people will not allow him preeminence now, he will demand preeminence later (Phil. 2:10–11).
God disclosed himself as a pardoning God.
The Old Testament pictures God as forgiving: When God introduced himself to Moses, he disclosed many traits about himself. One feature inherent in God’s character is his willingness to forgive. When Israel broke the covenant and worshiped a golden calf, God was willing to forgive. Look through the Old Testament, and you will see the God who forgives.
The New Testament dramatically portrays God’s nature as one who forgives. A casual reading of the life and ministry of Jesus discloses God as willing to forgive. Jesus practiced the art of forgiving sinners, and the world of his day could hardly believe the magnanimity of his forgiveness.
God is ready to forgive today. Many groan in their guilt because they do not know the real nature of God. He is willing to forgive. This means that he restores their relationship with him, and he remits the sin debt. Praise God for One who forgives!
God introduced himself to Moses and told Moses about his character.
Moses in turn opened his life to this great God.
The same God introduces himself to you. Open your life to him.
Sunday October 4th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: A Beatitude for Simon Peter (Peter’s Great Confession)
Text: “Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 16:16–17).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13–26 (parallel passages: Mark 8:27–37; Luke 9:18–25)
About two years had passed since Jesus chose his apostles. Only a little more than six months remained before his crucifixion. Our Lord needed to intensify his efforts to prepare the apostles for that event. After Jesus refused to become a king, great multitudes of his disciples turned away and opposition against him increased. For the purpose of testing his disciples, Jesus chose to take them north from Galilee into the district of Caesarea Philippi, which was ruled by Herod Philip. This region was on the slope of Mount Hermon near the headwaters of the Jordan River.
Simon Peter was blessed because, by the help of God, he confessed faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Matt. 16:13–17).
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” “Son of man” was a term Jesus often used of himself. The disciples were ready with several answers. Some said John the Baptist had come to life. Herod Antipas held this opinion (Mark 6:14). Others said Elijah, probably because of the prophecy in Malachi 4:5. Yet others named Jeremiah or another one of the prophets. These questions had been introductory to the main question: “But who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:15 RSV). Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16 RSV).
That Jesus is the Messiah was not a new claim. When Andrew first brought Simon to Jesus, he declared, “‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ)” ( John 1:41 RSV). Early in his ministry, Jesus revealed himself to the Samaritan woman as the Messiah ( John 4:25–26). Because of growing opposition, Jesus ceased to use the term and referred to himself as “Son of man,” which was a veiled messianic term that did not arouse opposition.
A few weeks earlier, when Jesus entered the boat after walking on the sea, the disciples worshiped him and said, “Of a truth thou art the Son of God” (Matt. 14:33). Jesus concurred, for he accepted their worship. When his hour did come, Jesus, on oath before Caiaphas, affirmed that he was “the Christ, the Son of God” (Matt. 26:63–64).
Jesus was pleased with Peter’s answer. At a time when others had turned away, Peter had remained steadfast. He joyfully said to him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 16:17). Simon Peter’s confession of faith was an experience wrought by the power of God. This ought to teach us that Christianity is not signing a creed, nor is it thinking out a philosophy of life; it is primarily an experience that comes from God.
Simon Peter was blessed because he was acting like a rock (living up to his name) in so confessing Christ.
Jesus added, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).
Christ is the architect and builder of his church.
Christ’s church is composed of all persons who have answered his call to come out of sin into salvation and who, as did Simon Peter, confess him to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Christ’s church is composed of all the redeemed of all time in heaven and earth, all those who have been called out by him.
Peter had acted like a rock in making this noble confession. A little later he would act like Satan in suggesting that Jesus not go to the cross. Peter was no more actually a rock than he was actually Satan. In confessing faith in Christ, he was acting like a rock (a play on words). On this rock of a person confessing faith in him, Jesus would keep building his church. He had begun to build with the winning of the first disciples. He will continue to build until the end of time. Saved persons are, as it were, spiritual stones in the temple Christ is building.
Simon Peter was blessed by being a member of an indestructible church.
The literal translation, “The gates of Hades shall not overpower it,” is correctly explained, “The powers of death shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18 RSV). Christ’s church is composed of redeemed people who have eternal life and either live here or with the Lord in paradise. Christ was not guaranteeing the perpetuity of an institution but rather the eternal life of his people. Christ’s church would not be destroyed here or hereafter. Christ, the builder and head of the church, has conquered death. He promised, “Because I live, ye shall live also” ( John 14:19).
Simon Peter was blessed because he was a member of a church with a mission of eternal consequences.
The keys of the kingdom of heaven are entrusted to all the church. To Peter, Jesus said, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:19). This promise was not to Peter alone nor restricted to the twelve apostles, for in Matthew 18:15–18, on an occasion when Jesus was speaking to the whole congregation, that is, the church, he used the same words.
The keys denote stewardship. The steward was responsible for using his master’s property in accord with his master’s express desire. Christ has committed to his church the stewardship of the gospel.
No person is given power to save another nor to keep another from being saved. Surely the Lord did not expect his followers to misconstrue this figure of speech to negate John 3:16.
God alone has the power to forgive sins, to save, or to refuse to save. He has not delegated this power to any person, group of persons, or institution. It is folly to speak of passing on by apostolic succession a power the apostles never had.
The true apostolic succession is to accept the stewardship of the gospel. We are to witness to Jesus, who is the Son of God, Messiah, Savior, Word of God, Lamb of God, and the Resurrection and Life. As people accept the Christ of the gospel, they enter the kingdom of God. If people reject this Christ, they remain outside. Decisions made here and now have eternal consequences. What is bound here on earth stands bound in heaven. What is loosed here on earth stays loosed in heaven. The question this morning is “Who do YOU say Christ is?”
Sunday September 27th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: The Christ We Preach
Text: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3 NIV).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:1–4
First John is the most intimate letter in the New Testament. Although John touched on many fundamental doctrines and truths within the Christian faith, it was not his purpose to write a dissertation, as was most often true with the apostle Paul. First John deals with family matters. We might compare it to a letter from a father to his small children who need to be encouraged, perhaps reprimanded, and mostly to be reminded that God is love and that they are to manifest God’s love constantly through their lives.
Yet there was an immediate reason why John wrote this letter when he did. A group of so-called Christians known as Gnostics were perpetrating a heresy within the church. They were teaching that all matter is inherently evil, and God, being good, could have nothing to do with evil matter. Therefore they taught that God could not have been incarnate in the body of Jesus. They said that Jesus only appeared to have lived in the flesh, that he was nothing more than a phantom. To John this false teaching was taking the heart out of the Christian faith. So his letter is a manifesto—that is, it proclaims what was shown and proved in the life of Jesus Christ.
In the prologue to John’s letter (1:1–4), he told us three things about Jesus, and then he developed these truths in the remainder of the letter.
John said that Jesus is the source of our life (1 John 1:1–2).
John plunged into a series of proofs attesting to Jesus’ humanity. First, he said that he and his fellow disciples heard Jesus speak. The verb heard is in the perfect tense, which means they had heard Jesus not just one time, but repeatedly, and his words had been etched in their hearts.
Next John declared that he had seen Jesus. The word John used for “seen” means more than having received a visual image on the retina of the eye. It means that he had understood, perceived, discerned. Then John said, “which we have looked upon.” Here he used another word that means to gaze at with wonder, awe, or reverence.
Finally, John said that he had “handled” Jesus with his hands. This is the word Jesus used after his resurrection to prove to his disciples that he was not a spirit but that he had a body (Luke 24:39). First John 1:2 is an expansion of what John said in verse 1. Jesus, the source of our life, has been manifested, and there is no way that his existence, death, or resurrection can be denied!
John said that Jesus is the subject of our preaching (1 John 1:3).
In verse 1 John spoke of the “Word of life.” These words were the dawn that broke through the darkness of sin. But now the dawn became noonday splendor as John identified the Word of life as Jesus Christ, God’s Son. And this Christ is the One whom we have seen with the eyes of our souls and heard through the living words of Scripture.
John said something that shocked every God-fearing Jew who would not so much as pronounce the name of God. He said, “Our fellowship is with the Father.” How dare a sinful creature presume that he can fellowship with the almighty God of creation!
The secret lies in the blessed intercessor, Jesus Christ. He introduced people to God as “the Father.” Our fellowship with God as heavenly Father comes through our relationship with his Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the subject of our preaching.
John wrote about sharing our faith (1 John 1:4).
Note the order here: Real joy comes after fellowship with God, his Son, and his children has been established. This unique relationship enables us to experience true joy.
Jesus desired that his followers have joyful hearts. Never in the Bible are Christians instructed to be depressed or pessimistic. One of the goals Jesus had in mind as he taught his disciples was for them to experience joy ( John 15:11).
What was the joy that filled Jesus’ soul? It was the completion of our salvation (Heb. 12:2). Likewise, our joy is based on the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
No longer was it
necessary to offer the sacrifice of animals to atone for our sins, for Christ
was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins!
Salvation and joy are inseparable. This contagious joy adds an effective note to
the sharing of our faith.
This is the Christ whom we preach. He is the source of our life, the subject of our preaching. Because of who he is, we share our faith so that others may know this joy unspeakable!
Sunday September 20th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: That You May Know
Text: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:13–21
The spiritual leaders who, through the generations, have consistently pointed people to God have been those who possessed an unshakable faith in God, in his Word, and in his promises. They knew the God whom they served; they believed in him; and when they spoke they communicated that confidence and assurance to others. Genuine Christianity is based on a know-so relationship with God through Jesus Christ. (From John’s repeated use of “we know” comes the term “know-so.” We know certain things about Jesus, so, or therefore, certain things are true.)
In the closing verses of John’s epistle, he revealed four things we can know for certain. As he wrote, there is no hint of hesitation; here was a man who knew and knew that he knew.
First, John spoke about our eternal safekeeping (1 John 5:13).
John declared his purpose in writing his gospel in John 20:31. He showed how one can receive eternal life by believing that Jesus is the Christ. His purpose in writing 1 John was that we may know that we have it.
To the people whom John originally wrote his letters, these words were shining beacons in a world of pagan darkness. The believers were surrounded by people whose lives were saturated with mythology and superstition, and who believed in many gods, most of whom were characterized as jealous, angry, and immoral. These Christians were under constant attack; they were opposed, criticized, ridiculed, and persecuted. Obviously, there were some who had come to doubt their salvation.
Therefore, against these continual onslaughts of doubt with which Satan has attacked every generation, John lifts his voice with ringing assurance. “You can know that you have eternal life!” How? “By these things which I have written unto you” (5:13). What are “these things”? He has spoken of the settled-sin question (1 John 1:9), of our keeping his commandments (2:3), of the love shed abroad in our hearts (3:11), and of the witness of the Holy Spirit (4:2, 13).
Then John gave a second thing of which we can be certain: answered prayer (1 John 5:14–15).
This is one of the Bible’s most important statements on prayer. Of the three vital things John taught about prayer, the first is that there must be a conviction about prayer. “This is the confidence that we have in him.” We are not to believe that prayer is just a probability. It is not an exercise to be engaged in as a last resort. We are to believe in the efficacy of a genuine prayer life.
Second, there is a condition that accompanies prayer. “If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” He will not answer just because we ask. There is a certain way in which we are to ask—and that is “according to his will.” Our asking will be according to his will when it is according to his Word.
Third, this kind of praying brings a conclusion. “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions desired of him.” Prayer, offered according to God’s conditions, brings us what we ask for. As a matter of faith, we have what we ask for the moment we ask. But as a matter of fact, the answer may be long in coming.
As I stated many times God does answer our prayers….sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes wait a while and at times I am sure God smiles and says “You have got to be kidding me.” (like when I pray to win the lottery)
John included here another dimension of faith, another privilege that is ours: intercessory concern (1 John 5:16–17).
These are awesome and chilling words. In keeping with the context in which John had been writing, we can assume that the “sin unto death” is that sin committed by the unbelievers who were saying that Jesus was not God come in the flesh. They were denying the incarnation. They had intellectually received the Word, and like those described in Hebrews 6, they had “tasted” of heavenly things. But they had not become “new creations,” whereby they were able to say with conviction that Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ. Can you say that with conviction?
Engaging in intercessory prayer is a privilege and a solemn duty for Christians. We can intercede in prayer on behalf of not only our brothers and sisters in Christ, but also on behalf of unbelievers who may be tottering on the rim of eternal destruction.
Finally, John closed this thrilling epistle on a note of triumph.
He said that Christians can know ultimate victory in spite of the power and harassment of Satan (5:18–21).
John was describing believers, and the phrase “sinneth not” is in the present tense. It refers not to the committing of an act of sin, but to a continuous lifestyle of sin. Believers will err along the way but will not pursue the habit of sinning. Rather, they will generally strive toward godliness. Why? Because they watch over, or guard, their spiritual lives. They are alert to temptation.
In verse 19 John said that Christians have a special identity. “And we know that we are of God.” Christians belong to a new generation of people, to a new order of life. Often they are in the minority, but the hope of the world lies in the declaration of Christ through this minority, which Jesus called “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.”
John concluded his letter in a rather unusual way: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” An “idol” is anything that comes between God and me, any substitute for God. It may be a desire, money, earthly possessions, an ambition, a pleasure, even a friend. As long as anything in my life is causing an “eclipse” of my Lord, I am powerless as a Christian. I am vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. But once the channel is cleared and there is “nothing between my soul and the Savior,” all is well! Then I can know whose I am because of the unhindered witness of God’s indwelling Spirit.
Closing hymn…”it is well with my soul.”
Sunday September 13th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: That Which Overcomes
Text: “Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:1–12
In the section of John’s epistle that we will be studying today, John had some probing things to say about faith in the life of a believer. He gave us the preamble of faith—the foundation, the basic premise, the “launching pad” of a faith that identifies one unmistakably as a member of the family of God. Then, increasing the pressure of his spiritual scalpel, John talked about the practice of faith—that which, without words, speaks eloquently of one’s relationship with God. Finally, he gave the principle of faith, driving down some pilings on which to build the superstructure of one’s faith.
First, let’s examine John’s preamble of faith (1 John 5:1).
John stated a basic truth: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” In other words, he was saying that those who have truly experienced the new birth are those who not only have given intellectual assent to the incarnation, but who also have received in their hearts this truth. They know, with experiential knowledge, that Jesus came in the flesh and lived a sinlessly perfect life on earth.
In the last phrase of this verse, John’s underlying theme emerges. The NIV translates it, “Everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.” Here is the greatest equation in the Bible. Loving God equals loving his children! John was talking about spiritual family love—not love for the lost person, which is a redemptive, compassionate love. Rather, John was presenting a complete cycle: When I love God, I love his children.
In verses 2–5, John became very practical and talked about faith.
Here is a second equation: Loving God equals keeping his commandments. What had John done? He had taken the first equation—“Loving God equals loving his children”—and changed it from an attitude into an action. In other words, I can say to you that I love God and consequently his children, and I can fool you, but I cannot fool God. But if I “keep his commandments” and do those things he has told me to do in his Word, you can see that and know that I am sincere. That is faith in practice and not just in word. There was a spiritual song made famous by Elvis, “You may run on for a long time, but let me tell you God Almighty will cut you down.
Now let us reiterate what we have learned previously regarding this love of God in us that flows out to our brothers and sisters. It is spontaneous; that is, it is explosive, filled with joy and overflowing. Love is not done out of duty but flows naturally from the constrainment of joy.
Then John said that keeping God’s commandments is not a “grievous” experience. God’s commands are not burdensome. For most people, rules and regulations are unpleasant. We chafe under them; we resent them. But John said there is a difference with the commandments of Jesus. Because his commandments are given in love, they are a delight and not a burden!
In verses 6–12 John set forth the principle of faith.
The principle of faith in God is based on two facts about Jesus that John referred to by the use of the words “water” and “blood.” “Water” refers to Christ’s baptism by John at the beginning of his public ministry. By this act, it was declared to the world that Jesus was the Messiah. From that moment, the steps of Jesus were ever and always toward the cross. So then, if the “water” represents the commencement of Jesus’ earthly journey, the “blood” stands for the culmination of it all on the cross. Thus the principle of Christian faith has been dependent from the beginning on the saviorhood of Jesus and on his atonement for sin through his blood shed on the cross.
The victory shout comes in verse 12: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” When we start to exercise and practice the faith God gave us when we were born again, we begin to feel a power and a peace that provides spiritual buoyancy. We can say, “This is the life!” Why? Because we have the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, living within, on the throne of our heart!
Many Christians do not “practice” their faith. It lies dormant within them. As a result, they have no joy. They cannot say, “This is the life!” in regard to their Christianity. They have no spontaneity in their love for their fellow Christians. Often they become miserable and defensive in their Christian lives—sometimes even afflicted with self-pity. The practice of one’s faith is the overcoming power in life.
BEGIN THE DAY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF COFFEE AND A WHOLE LOT OF JESUS
Sunday September 6th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Love versus Fear
Text: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:11–21
Through Jesus Christ, God revealed himself to humans. Through the Holy Spirit, God indwells humans. In today’s study, we shall see three grand and glorious things about this unique relationship between God and his people. First, we shall see the gift; then we shall discover the gain (what we have “gained” in receiving this gift); and finally, the glory, the inexpressible result of our continuing relationship with God through the Holy Spirit’s presence within us.
Let’s examine this incomparable gift of God to the believer (1 John 4:12–13).
The first part of the gift is expressed outwardly. “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us.” We prove our faith to the world by loving one another—or, more specifically, by letting God love others through us. I may “like” you or “dislike” you; that is beside the point. You may “detest” some of my ways; that, too, is beside the point.
Dr. Bob Jones senior once said in a chapel service…”You don’t have to like everyone, but you do have to love them.” This simply means that you don’t have to like what a person is doing, but you do have to love their souls! The simple, earthshaking truth John has given us is that God dwells in us only if we love one another in spite of who or what we are or who or what they are!
The second part of the gift is expressed inwardly. It concerns the assurance we need constantly that we are the children of God. How do we know that we are his? Because he has given us his Holy Spirit. Upon our repentance, God “baptized,” submerged, us into his family. Furthermore, the verb phrase, “He has given” (NIV), is a perfect tense, indicating that the gift was a permanent one, given to us at a point in the past to be forever ours.
But then, there is the gain (1 John 4:17).
What do we “gain” in this relationship with God that transforms us and makes us his children? The word is boldness, and it is one of the most important words in the New Testament. Luke said in the book of Acts that the religious authorities were amazed at the “boldness” of Peter and John (4:13). The disciples “spake the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). We are invited, as God’s children, to “come boldly unto the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16). And this “boldness” is neither a brashness nor a reckless presumption, but a “freedom of speech” God has given believers through the presence of his Spirit indwelling them.
Another dimension of this boldness is revealed in verse 17. Christians will have boldness “in the day of judgment.” Because of their relation- ship with God through Christ, they will have no reason to fear at the judgment. Paul said plainly in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
Finally, let us see the glory of it all (1 John 4:18–21).
What kind of “fear” was John talking about in verse 18? It is possible that he was talking about fear at the thought of judgment. But where there is “perfect love” (and it is perfect because it is God’s love in us and not our own), there is trust, confidence, and assurance. Just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, so fear cannot reign where there is love.
There is no torment like that produced in a person who lives in fear. There is a fear of tomorrow, a fear of death, a fear of judgment. And because sin alienates people from God, it is the fear of unbelievers toward a God whom they do not know and whom they cannot call “Father.”
The glorious promise is that “perfect love casteth out fear.” When we surrender to God and are able to allow God to love through us, there can be no fear. The love of God within us destroys and dissipates fear.
If you are a Christian, you have already received the greatest gift of all— salvation by grace through faith. But have you received the gift John talks about, which ought to be operative in the life of every Christian? Are you letting Christ love others through you, and are you receiving constantly the assurance that you belong to God because of his Spirit within you? Have you gained a “holy boldness,” a freedom to share your faith with others?
Are you free from fear because God has shed abroad his love in your heart?
Sunday August 30th 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Kept by the Power of God
Text: “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:4–5).
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:3–5
As a lake reflects an image, Peter’s writings reflect his experience. Peter had lost face but not faith with his denials of his Lord. Jesus, true to his promise, had kept Peter from Satan. Peter is now busy strengthening the followers of Christ (see Luke 22:31–32).
Who are the kept?
Certainly not:
Those on whom worldly fortune has smiled.
Those who are politically powerful.
Those exempt from earthly ills and misfortune.
But these are kept:
Scattered, persecuted Christians in the provinces of Asia Minor (1 Peter 1:1–2, 6–8).
The elect. This is a term for saved persons. God, to be God, must be sovereign. Humans, to be humans, must be free. God has provided a way of salvation by which a person is free to accept or reject his grace. God does not elect that some will be saved and some lost; but he “gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” ( John 3:16).
You can “make your calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). Follow the instructions in 2 Peter 1:1–10. “Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3). One simple explanation of election is: “God votes for you. The devil votes against you. You and you alone cast the deciding vote.”
Who keeps them?
God, by his power. God pledges his power, as manifested in raising Jesus from the dead, to keep the elect (1 Peter 1:5). Peter had learned to trust God. So had Paul (2 Tim. 1:12) and Jude (Jude 24–25) and Jesus ( John 10:27–30).
From what are they kept?
From spiritual defeat. For example:
Peter (Luke 22:31–32; Acts 4:3; 5:17–42).
Stephen (Acts 7:54–60).
Paul (2 Cor. 12:7–10).
From the devil’s power. Satan has no power except by God’s permission (Job 1:6–12; 2:1–6; Luke 22:31–32). God can bring good out of what seems to be evil (Rom. 8:28–39).
How are the elect kept?
“Through faith” (1 Peter 1:5). Faith is a necessary condition rather than an arbitrary one. Faith is willingness to put one’s life in God’s hands. “Without faith it is impossible to please him [God]” (Heb. 11:6). Faith is willingness to be kept. The bank cannot keep one’s money unless you deposit it in the bank. God cannot keep a person unless the person is willing to be kept.
But kept for what? What is the end of our keeping?
First, “Unto salvation” (1 Peter 1:5).
Salvation as a past experience (John 3:16; Rom. 8:1; Eph. 2:8–10).
Salvation as a present experience (Rom. 13:11; Phil. 2:12–13).
Salvation as future consummation “at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (Matt. 25:31–46; 1 Peter 1:7; 1 John 3:1–3).
Second “An inheritance” (1 Peter 1:4).
That is incorruptible. Not subject to decay, as are all things on this earth (Matt. 6:19–21).
That is undefiled. The first paradise was defiled by sin. Sin will not enter the heavenly paradise.
It is a heavenly treasure that cannot fade away (1 Peter 1:4).
Let us hear Jesus ( John 14:1–3).
Let us hear Paul (1 Cor. 2:9; Phil. 3:20–21; 2 Tim. 4:6–8).
Now hear John in Revelation.
A holy place (Rev.
21:1–3; 22:1–5).
Exempt from weariness (Rev. 7:16).
Exempt from pain (Rev. 7:17; 21:4).
A place of service (Rev. 7:15).
God keeps the heavenly home for those who are kept for it.
When I was a boy, I went with my father to see his boyhood home on the farm, which he had not visited for many years. I had heard him describe it as a place of pure delight, so our visit was very disappointing. The house was dilapidated. My father said, “We can at least get a drink from the spring.” But we found the spring choked by debris. You see, the house was vacant. No one kept it. But we have a heavenly home reserved for us. The Lord has prepared it and keeps it for us “who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).
Sunday August 23rd 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: God’s People Have a Living Hope
Text: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3 NIV).
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:3; 3:15; 5:10
Hope, along with faith and love, is one of the three permanent graces of a Christian (see 1 Cor. 13:13). Peter had experienced the death of hope when Jesus was crucified and the renewal of hope when Jesus was resurrected. Peter praised God that he has “begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Note especially the word “again.” Hope had died and was revived by Jesus’ resurrection.
We see the death of hope.
Hope died for Peter when Jesus died. Peter had affirmed Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God (see Matt. 16:16). He misunderstood the nature of the Messiah (see Matt. 16:21–23), but he was loyal to Jesus (see John 6:66–69; 13:37). During Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, “Peter followed afar off” (Luke 22:54), but he did follow. Although the look on Jesus’ face after Peter denied him (see Luke 22:61) broke Peter’s heart, he still believed and had hope. Concerning Jesus’ crucifixion, Mark 15:31–32 says, “The chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe’” (NIV). Peter probably expected Jesus to do just that. But when Jesus died, hope died. It was night. Perhaps none of the disciples expected Christ to rise again, even though he repeatedly had told them that he would.
Hope died for the other disciples when Jesus died. Note some illustrations from Scripture:
“Mary Magdalene, Mary
the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint
Jesus’ body. . . . They were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other,
‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’” (Mark
16:1–3 NIV). When the angels at the empty tomb reminded them of
Jesus’ promise to rise on the third day, “they remembered his words” (Luke
24:8).
The disciples refused to believe the women’s report about the empty tomb and the
angels “because their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke
24:11 NIV). However, Peter and John did run to the tomb to find out
about the grave robbery. Peter saw “the cloth that had been around Jesus’ head.
The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the
other disciple . . . also went inside. He saw and believed” (John
20:7–8 NIV). This is evidence that John had not believed before this
experience.
Cleopas and his unnamed companion had no hope. Referring to Jesus who had been crucified, they said, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place” (Luke 24:21 NIV).
But there is the revival of hope by Jesus’ resurrection.
Jesus’ appearances:
To the women (Luke 24:1–8)
To Mary Magdalene (John 20:1–18)
To Cleopas and another (Luke 24:13–32)
To Simon Peter (Luke 24:33–35; 1 Cor. 15:5)
To all the disciples except Thomas (Luke 24:36–43; John 20:19–25)
To all the disciples the next Sunday night ( John 20:26–31)
To seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee. Jesus repeated the miraculous draw of fish, as at Peter’s call to the ministry, and reaffirmed Peter’s apostleship ( John 21).
To about five hundred, at once, perhaps at a mountain in Galilee as Jesus had appointed before his death (Matt. 28:16–20; 1 Cor. 15:6)
To James, the half brother of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7)
To the disciples at Jerusalem, then at the Mount of Olives and the ascension (Luke 24:44–53; Acts 1:3–12)
Peter and the other
disciples now knew that Christ lived. They witnessed to this truth even to the
point of exile and martyrdom.
Their Scriptures had been reinterpreted by Jesus. He opened their minds so they
could understand the Scriptures. He showed them in the Old Testament, “This is
what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third
day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46–47 NIV).
Jesus commissioned them to preach the gospel to all nations. They were to start in Jerusalem, then go to Judea and Samaria, and then to the whole world. They were to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to inaugurate the gospel age. They obeyed, and at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came as promised (see Matt. 28:18–20; Luke 24:48–49; John 20:21; Acts 1–2). What a tragedy it would have been if they had not obeyed!
Christian hope is reasonable. Every reason for believing in God the Father and God the Son is a reason for hope. Every experience of God the Holy Spirit is a reason for hope, including one’s salvation and the witness of the Holy Spirit. And the witness of Peter and others whose hope was revived by Jesus’ resurrection is a reason for hope. We now have the hope of the resurrection….in this instance more correctly, we have the promise of the resurrection and of His return!
Sunday August 16th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Counterfeit Christianity: Its Antidote
Text: “See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father”
(1 John 2:24 NIV).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:24–29
The temptation to be faithless is the number one problem among Christians—and it always has been. This is the sinister counterfeit Satan has so successfully perpetrated in a variety of ways among believers. He often uses other people in his determination to weaken a Christian’s faith. One person he uses is the cynic, who raises doubts in the Christian’s mind. This person has the syrupy “Did God really say . . . ?” (Gen. 3:1 NIV) approach of the Tempter. Then there is the hypocrite who looks like a Christian and talks like a Christian but whose conduct is inconsistent. Satan also uses popular views to distort the truth. For example, “One religion is just as good as another as long as you are sincere.” Or, “You have to be realistic. The Bible doesn’t always mean what it says.” Or, “You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” John gave an antidote for the problem of faithlessness.
The first antidote John gave is the abiding of the Word (1 John 2:24–26).
How does Jesus become real to a new believer? Through Scripture! What are some of the first, basic truths we learn? That Jesus is God’s Son, that he died on a cross for our sins and rose the third day, and that he promised to return to receive us unto himself. Along with these great truths is the amazing realization that God knows us by name and is always available to hear our prayers and answer them according to his will. But it doesn’t take long for Satan to start whispering doubts to a young Christian.
What is the antidote for these attacks from Satan? John simply said to hold fast to that which we learned at the beginning of our pilgrimage with God. Stay in the Word! John used the word “abide,” which means to remain in the sense that one is at home, comfortable, and conversant with Bible truths. We are not merely to “taste” the Word; we are to ingest it, depending on the Holy Spirit to help us digest it so that it can be absorbed into our lives.
The second antidote John gave is the anointing of the Spirit (1 John 2:27).
John referred to “anointing” as the coming of the Holy Spirit at salvation to abide in us. This anointing, or initiation, is never repeated. Yet we may grieve the Holy Spirit by disobedience and sin, thus allowing self to usurp the Spirit’s leadership.
Because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit we receive at salvation, John said, “You do not need anyone to teach you” (v. 27 NIV). He meant that we do not constantly need to be taught the elementary truths of the gospel, for that is one of the Holy Spirit’s vital ministries. Also, the Holy Spirit provides a glorious “check and balance” within us. He is always present to verify the teachings we do receive from others.
The third antidote John gave is the coming of Jesus (1 John 2:28–29).
John reminded his readers that the next great event on eternity’s calendar is the second coming of Jesus. He did not set any date; rather, he was saying, “Whenever he comes—and it could be at any moment—be found living in such a way that you will not be ashamed to stand before him!”
Actually, Christians should live before God as Enoch did. The Bible says that Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him (Gen. 5:24). Enoch lived in such close and constant communion with God that his transition from earthly existence to heavenly existence was a very simple thing. This is how we should live.
When Ananias was told by God to seek out Paul, he was afraid for he had heard how Paul was persecuting believers….but the Lord said “Go and do what I say for Paul is my chosen instrument to take the message to the nations.”
When David Livingston was asked about sending him some help, they asked “Have you found a good road to get where you are?” He replied that if “you have men who will join me only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come even if there is no road at all.”
Jesus did not say “Come unto me and get it over with…” but he did say that “if any man would come after me, let him take up his cross daily and follow me.” Daily is the key word.
We must have commitment….take a blank sheet of paper, write across the top “My contract with God.” Then go to the bottom of the page and sign your name. Then let God fill in the details, including the fine print. That is the kind of commitment God wants.
What part does God’s Word play in your life? Does it “abide” within you? And what about the Holy Spirit? Does he have complete control in your life? Do you anticipate Jesus’ coming with joy? Are you living so close to him, consistently walking by his side, that his coming will be a welcome transition?
You have heard this before, but I want each of you to ask yourself today….If I was on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict me?
Sunday August 9th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Counterfeit Christianity: Its Results
Text: “They went out from us, but they did notreally belong to us. For if they had belonged to
us, they would have remained with us; but theirgoing showed that none of them belonged to us”
(1 John 2:19 NIV).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:18–23
Today’s advertisers use newspapers, magazines,billboards, radio, television, and the internet to increase their share of the market by showing the superiority of their products over those of their competitors. In a sense, that is what John did in the latter part of 1 John 2.
As we discovered in our last study, starting at verse 15, John referred to false religions, or “counterfeit Christianity.”
He had already identified the parts of a false religion, showing how the very love of God is counterfeited.
Now, beginning at verse 18, John was holding up “Brand X” and exposing its inferiority to real Christianity.
He also described those who promote such sinister deception. The enemy is plainly revealed before the church (1 John 2:18–19).
Paul warned in 2 Thessalonians that the “man of sin” (the Antichrist of whom John spoke) will be revealed in the last days (2:3–12). Probably this is what John was referring to in verse 18. But lest the readers think there will be no satanic opposition until that time,
John said, “Even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour” (v. 18 NIV).
In other words, John meant that those with the spirit of the Antichrist were already at work in the world.
In verse 19 John was painfully explicit in regard to these pretenders. He revealed that they hold membership in the church.
They go through the motions of worship and participate in church events, but theirs is the spirit of Judas Iscariot, who was so deceptive in his role as a disciple that none of the other eleven disciples suspected that he was an enemy of Christ until the night before the crucifixion. The time had come for these impostors to separate themselves physically from the church because they were never part of the body spiritually. At some point they had given intellectual assent to the lordship of Christ, but their hearts had never confirmed their profession.
These people were “apostates.” They were unbelievers who had mentally adopted the doctrines of the Christian faith but had never been united to the church by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. John said, “They were not of us” (v. 19).
Their source was not in the body of Christ, which is composed of true believers only. Disciples are reminded of who they are and what they possess (1 John 2:20–21).
John reminded believers, “You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth” (v. 20 NIV). He was elaborating on a certain ministry of the Holy Spirit—that of enlightening believers concerning the meaning of God’s Word. John was basically saying, “As for you (as opposed to antichrists), you are anointed by the Holy Spirit, and you know the truth.” In verse 21 John merely expanded on what he had just said. This was his purpose in writing—not to instruct the ignorant but to remind believers of what they already knew.
The traitor is identified clearly and unmistakably (1 John 2:22–23). The Bible teaches that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44). His approach is always based on what is false and misleading. The greatest lie Satan has ever perpetrated is that Jesus is not the Christ. He tries to spread this lie in many ways. In our day, he takes the intellectual, rational approach by denying the virgin birth of Christ. But what about these blessed names, Jesus and Christ? The name Jesus comes from a Hebrew word, Yeshua, which means “Jehovah saves” and proclaims the deity, humanity, and vicarious atonement of our Savior. Christ means “the anointed one” and is a translation of the Hebrew word from which we get Messiah. Jesus was anointed by the Father and designated as Savior; he was the acceptable sacrifice for the sins of the world.
What are the results of “counterfeit Christianity”? The denial that Jesus is the God- man, born of a virgin, who was crucified for our sins and rose the third day to overcome death. Those who deny these basic cardinal truths about Jesus Christ have a counterfeit religion.
I have a dear friend who once told me that he was not sure about the resurrection because he was not there to witness it.
I told him I didn’t witness Pearl Harbor, but it happened!
Without the resurrection we are hopeless and have no need to worship Christ at all.
Sunday August 2nd 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Counterfeit Christianity: What Is It?
Text: “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:15–17
One of the most distasteful and unpleasant words in the human vocabulary must be the word counterfeit. We usually think of that which is counterfeit as being something purposely designed to deceive. Even more devious than those who ply their counterfeiting trades in the marketplaces of the world are those guilty of counterfeiting in the spiritual realm. The tragedy connected with this kind of counterfeiting is that many times those involved are victims rather than agents! For Satan is the master counterfeiter of all time. He seizes vulnerable people, deceives them by his devilish wiles, and victimizes them in this business of counterfeiting spiritual realities.
In today’s Scripture reading, John exposed the essence of counterfeit Christianity.
John introduced a strange kind of love.
What “world” was John talking about? It was not the world of nature, the beauty of which often defies the descriptive powers of the most gifted poet. Rather, John was speaking of the “world system,” the total of human life that exists apart from God, alienated from or hostile toward God. The forces of evil in this world system seduce men and women away from God and righteousness. The system is ordered, not haphazard. Much of it is cultured, intellectual, even religious.
John was aware of the evil power of the world system. Throughout his gospel and letters, John repeatedly dealt with this subject. In his gospel, he said that the world is in the dark. He quoted Jesus’ words “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” ( John 8:12). The world is in the dark because it does not know God ( John 17:25); it does not know Christ ( John 1:10); it does not know the Spirit ( John 14:17); and it does not know or understand Christians (1 John 3:1).
What “love” for the
world was John talking about? Surprisingly, it was agape love—a self-sacrificing
kind of love. This is an example of how Satan can counterfeit that which is
spiritual. Just as Christians who are filled with agape love offer themselves to
God’s perfect will, so those who are victimized by Satan offer themselves to the
false brilliance of the world. A sad example of this kind of love is seen in the
case of Demas, one of Paul’s coworkers (see 2 Tim. 4:10).
Paul used the word agape to describe Demas’s love for the world.
John talked about a strange manifestation of this love.
Verse 16 briefly defines the world system, the kosmos. First is the desire to have things—“The lust of the flesh.” “Flesh” refers here to the depraved human nature that governs a person’s will, reason, and emotions. As desperately as unbelievers may try to please God, they cannot. Paul said, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7–8 NIV).
Second is the desire to have whatever attracts the eye. John called this “the lust of the eyes.” It may express itself in an inordinate desire for fine clothes, a new car, a larger home, or power to control all that one sees. Slaves to this sin worship at the altar of mammon!
Third is the desire to be—“The pride of life.” The word translated “pride” is the same word used in James 4:16 and translated “boastings.” It amounts to the arrogant, proud dependence on one’s own achievements, intelligence, resources, or wealth. These sins are always surrounding us. James said, “Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death”
( James 1:14–15 NIV).
John summarized, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17 NIV). John meant that the world would pass in a futile show. In spite of its glitter and appeal, it will not last; it is headed for destruction. But those who continue to do God’s will because it has become their lifestyle will abide forever!
Christianity is 24/7. It does not begin and end when you walk through the doors of the church. One person can make a difference…..Jesus did.
Remember it all began with Jesus, 11 men and one woman.
Sunday October 25th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Doing God’s Will, Not Ours
Text: “Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah
1:3).
Scripture Reading: Jonah 1:1–17; 4:7–11
How many of you remember being taught the story of Johan and the whale?….sorry to burst your bubble, but the Bible calls it a great fish…not a whale.
A little girl was giving a presentation to her class at school and she told of Jonah and the whale. Her teacher corrected her and told her a whale’s throat was too small to swallow a man. The girl responded, when I get to heaven I will ask Jonah….well what if Jonah didn’t get to heaven asked the teacher…..then you ask him was the girl’s reply.
We know that Jonah lived sometime before or while Jeroboam II ruled in Israel, because he prophesied the conquests of this great king (2 Kings 14:25). This means he preached about the eighth century before Christ or sometime earlier.
Since Jonah’s prophecy was favorable to Jeroboam, he must have been a popular prophet at first. Perhaps he had a large following and thus was reluctant to go to Nineveh with a message of God’s judgment. Nineveh was the capital of the great Assyrian Empire, the archenemy of Israel. Four steps pre-dominated the ministry of Jonah as recorded in the book that bears his name.
Jonah at first ran from God.
The call to Nineveh was far more significant than appears at first sight. For Jonah to preach to the enemy would have caused a serious loss of popularity among his fellow citizens. The average Israelite of Jonah’s day probably did not care whether Assyria lived or died. In fact, he probably preferred the latter. Assyria was competition to Israel commercially and a potential threat militarily. Why should the average Israelite feel any necessity to bring Assyria into favor with God? Perhaps Jonah felt he could hear the people say, “Why waste a good preacher on those pagan people?”
So Jonah rebelled against God’s call. When he caught a boat at Joppa, the exact destination is not important, but Jonah was going in an opposite direction from Assyria. This happens so often when people rebel against God’s will. They travel to a different place, sometimes even morally, and find themselves in a far country of disobedience. God is always present, however, even when we are out of fellowship with him. He forever stands within the shadow and keeps watch over his own. The mighty tempest in the sea was no freak of nature but was planned by God.
Are you in rebellion to God’s will? We will never find peace with God until we are saved by Christ. We will never know, as Christians, the peace that passes all understanding until we are obedient to God’s will. God may not call us to a place of service that the world considers significant, but wherever he wills for us to serve is important, and we should delight in prompt obedience.
Jonah next ran to God.
The second chapter is a prayer of Jonah in which he gave thanks. He had already been delivered from the big fish. Part of the chapter is a flashback in which he described his previous condition before his deliverance. We are not told all of the details concerning Jonah’s repentance and his eventual willingness to obey God. The last scene we have in chapter 1 is of Jonah being cast into the sea and the men actually turning to worship Jehovah, Jonah’s God, when the sea became calm.
To run from God is a traumatic experience, but to surrender to him can be an equally emotional decision. Some Christians must be chastised greatly before they will do the thing God wants them to do. Many ministers and laypersons alike tell stories of how God “whipped them into line” before they would be faithful in service. Others, of course, need only mild corrections. Jonah’s experience was, in many ways, as traumatic as that of Saul the persecutor.
Jonah did best when he ran with God.
God always gives us another chance. We cannot be certain where the fish delivered Jonah, but the prophet was ready to listen to the call! This second call must have been briefer, for God merely said that Jonah should do the thing he had told him to do in the first place.
How often does God have to tell you something…I know in my home growing up, mom or dad only had to say something once…even though their math was off…didn’t I tell you a million times?......
The city of Nineveh was one of the great metropolitan areas of the ancient world. The “three days” refers to the time that it took to go through the city, not the time it took Jonah to reach it from where he landed on the shore. The message was brief. The Hebrew is quite literal—“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” When one works with God, great blessings are available. In fact, there is no limit to what can be done in God’s kingdom when one is fully committed to God’s will.
Jonah preached and God did the blessing. The king repented. Those who treat this story as merely a parable should familiarize themselves with the history of Assyria. There was a period preceding the beginning of the new kingdom under Tiglath-pileser III in 745 BC that seems an ideal time for the repentance of the Assyrian king. Several unexplained changes in policy occurred during this century, and we have every reason to believe that some of these were brought about directly because of Jonah’s preaching.
The repentance was complete. Personal sorrow for sin was evident. To have an effective revival, a community needs an intense feeling of the sinfulness of sin and of the necessity to change its course of action. The people of Nineveh were confronted with their sin and fled to God for mercy.
Sometimes good people run ahead of God.
If most of us were writing the story of Jonah, we would leave out chapter 4. Yet God saw fit to put it in! Why? Because spiritual pride is an ego-fulfilling experience rather than a humble declaration of God’s purpose in judgment and his delight in mercy.
The lesson God taught Jonah by means of the gourd should say to all of us that God has ways beyond us and we must never question his judgment. God’s purpose includes the world, not merely our small field of existence. He made everyone and loves everyone. Unless we understand this, we run counter to his purposes. Jonah was a great preacher, but even in the midst of a great evangelistic campaign in Assyria, he still had the need to “grow up” in understanding the complete nature of God. So do we!
To know God’s will is not always easy. He does not speak audibly, but rather through his Word, the Bible, and through deep impressions that he sends to us by means of the Holy Spirit. Even Christ prayed, not my will but thing be done. At the wedding of Cana of Galilee, Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to the people concerning Jesus, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it” ( John 2:5). This is great advice for us today.
Sunday July 26th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Upper Room Lessons on Relationships
Text: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV).
Scripture Reading: John 15:1–27
Slip into the upper room where Jesus and his disciples are spending their last moments before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. First, put yourself in Jesus’ place. Suppose you are about to leave your disciples and you must give them last-minute instructions on how to carry on your work—and they are slow learners, sometimes a little dense. What would you say to them? Or suppose that you are one of those disciples and you are heartbroken at the thought of your Lord going away. You are confused, frustrated, and overwhelmed by all that is happening.
In the upper room, Jesus tells his disciples that they must not only understand the meaning of love, but they must love one another as he has loved them. He promises them a home forever with him. In the meantime, he will be with them every step of the journey. In their future hours of discouragement, they will remember his gracious promises. He wants them to comprehend the blessings, privileges, and responsibilities resulting from their personal relationship with him. This love thing is the hard part, not the kind of love the modern song writers describe, but the Christ kind of love….for Christ so loved the world that he died that we might live. This is the kind of love that will solve the whole issues our nation faces today.
Let’s look at the disciples’ relationship with Christ (John 15:1–11).
Jesus used many metaphors to illustrate himself, his work, and relationships. For example: light, John 8:12; door, John 10:7; shepherd, John 10:11; vine, John 15:1.
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” He wanted his disciples to understand that no external qualifications can set a person right with God—only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can do that. Grape vines are common in Israel. Each year the vines are cut back to conserve the plant’s life and energy. Branches not bearing fruit are cut off. The main point Jesus wanted to get across was that his disciples had to draw strength from him and him alone. He said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (15:5 NIV). In verse 7 he indicated that those who abide in Christ and have Christ’s words abiding in them may ask what they want and it will be done, simply because they will ask nothing out of accord with the mind of Christ. Jesus then called them to remain in his love and keep his commands.
What are some results of this vine-branch relationship?
We will bear much fruit (vv. 4–5).
We will receive prayer power (v. 7).
We will glorify the Father (v. 8).
We will 0bey his commands (cf. Ex. 20; Matt. 5–7).
We will become full of joy (v. 11; cf. John 1:1–4; 2:1–6). There is no worse Christian than having a Christian with a “long face.” God wants us to be happy and joyful. Does God have a sense of humor?...sure does….just look at some of the different animals He created. I know He has a sense of humor whenever I look into a mirror.
Our happiness can reach no higher than when we share the joy that Christ felt because of being loved by his Father and doing his will. For Christians, all of life’s relationships must grow out of our personal relationship with Jesus.
That brings us to the disciples’ relationship with one another in Christ (John 15:12–17).
These disciples had a common tie—Jesus.
They were chosen by Christ (v. 16). The 12 were hand-picked by Christ. And what an assortment...a tax-collector, a doctor, and a bunch of common folks….fishermen. We are God’s people. Later the apostle Peter, who was in the upper room that night, wrote to discouraged Christians, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).
But their relationship was characterized by genuine love (vv. 12–13, 17). In the New Testament, individual Christians could not describe their lives without the term “one another.” They were to bear “one another’s” burdens (Gal. 6:2); admonish “one another” with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16); comfort “one another” (1 Thess. 4:18); exhort “one another” (Heb. 3:13); pray “one for another” (James 5:16); and love “one another” (1 Peter 1:22). For enrichment and stability, you must experience the fellowship of your local body of Christ— your church. Someone once asked me what kind of church do I have….I answered that I don’t have a church,…I serve a congregation but it is His church.
Their relationship was characterized by obedience to Christ (v. 14).
They were friends, partners with Christ (v. 15).
They were continuous fruit bearers (v. 16).
And the disciples had a relationship with the world (John 15:18–27).
Jesus knows what lies ahead for his disciples, and he warns them. Jesus tells his people what they can expect. The Gospel of Mark records just a sample:
“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (13:9–13 NIV)
Jesus told his disciples that the world hated him first ( John 15:18, 22–25). He explained that the world’s hatred of them was proof that they were not of the world (v. 19). He further conveyed that they were sharing their Master’s lot. Later Peter wrote, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12–13 NIV).
Then Jesus told his disciples that their suffering would bear good witness to Christ (John 15:27). The time would come when Christians would be called to burn a pinch of incense and say, “Caesar is Lord.” But they would refuse to do this. Instead, they would testify, “Jesus is Lord.” And persecution would follow because Christians put Christ first.
Jesus knew that if people were permanently bonded together by him, he could trust them with his work until he came again.
Go to your spiritual upper room and learn the lessons Christ Jesus has for you to learn!
The world always places an emphasis on an individual’s final words. I constantly refer to my parents and the effect they had on me, but the one thing that drives my ministry were the final hours of my dad….the day he went home, he was sitting on the edge of his hospice bed with mom….singing at the top of his lungs, “I am sheltered in the arms of God.” His nurse told me he was delusional….he kept saying “I want to go home.” And she kept saying, “You are home.” And he would reply “No.” I told her that she just did not understand. Later that night dad called me to his bed….he said, “Preach the truth no matter what.” A little later he said to me his final words…”Son I love you, keep looking up, Jesus is coming soon.”
Christ’s final words were “Go tell everyone about me!” This is not a multiple choice command. We don’t have a choice!
Sunday July 19th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Upper Room Lessons on Jesus’ Promises
Text: “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work”
(John 14:10 NIV).
Scripture Reading: John 14:7–31
Jesus had been preparing the disciples for his imminent departure, and he told them why he was going—to prepare a place for them ( John 14:2). His assurance of coming back for them calmed their hearts, but at the same time they wondered how they would cope during his absence. Every day Jesus had been with them answering their questions, directing their thoughts, settling their arguments, and strengthening them by his presence. Now he would be leaving them. They would be like helpless orphans. As a partial explanation, Jesus told his disciples, “You know the way to the place where I am going” (14:4 NIV). But Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (14:5 NIV).
Jesus gave a more complete answer, which contains many promises.
The promise of knowing the Father through Jesus (John 4:5–11).
If you know Jesus, you know God. The knowledge of Jesus that stops with the man and the martyr, the teacher and the brother, is only a partial knowledge of him. In Jesus we see the Father.
You probably have seen a little boy who looked, talked, and walked like his father. What do you say about the boy? You likely remark, “He is the spitting image of his daddy.” To see Jesus is to see the Father.
If you want to know how God feels about fallen humanity, see Jesus as he talked with the woman at the well. If you want to know how God feels about those who are sick and suffering, see Jesus healing the blind, the crippled, and the leper. If you want to know how God feels about grief, see Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus. If you want to know how God feels about children, listen to Jesus say, “Let the little children come to me” (Luke 18:16 NIV). If you want to know how God feels about sinners, see Jesus dealing with Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1–10.
The promise of greater
works (John 14:12–14).
The disciples had seen Jesus do many miraculous works, but he encouraged them by
saying that they would do even greater works. Did they? Yes, look at what
happened on the day of Pentecost. Jesus wanted them to know that his power would
reside in them.
The promise of a helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:15–24).
Jesus promised not to leave the disciples as helpless orphans. He promised that through the Spirit he would come to them. He promised them an abiding presence that would bring love and obedience (14:21–24; cf. Acts 1–3; 1 Cor. 3:16–17).
The promise of blessings through the Holy Spirit (John 14:25–26).
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as the Advocate (v. 26). An advocate is one who is summoned to assist someone in a court of justice. The Advocate was to be Christ’s representative—in his place. He would guide the disciples into truth and help them recall everything Jesus had told them (v. 26). During the events that unfolded in the lives of the apostles, they did remember the words that Jesus had spoken to them before his crucifixion—and they understood them in a new light.
The promise of peace (John 14:27–31).
Jesus did not promise his disciples that their lives would be easy. The peace Jesus promised was a triumphant overcoming of difficulties and problems. The world thinks of peace as being where there is no war or pain or sorrow—a peace of escape. The peace Jesus gives is shalom, which means everything that makes for our highest good. It is a peace that is independent of our outward circumstances.
Archibald Rutledge visited an old man living alone in an isolated area. He said to the man, “You must mind being all alone like this.” The old man looked up and answered, “Mr. Rutledge, I’m not exactly alone. I miss all who are gone, but I’m not alone.”
Rutledge replied, “Someone else has been here to see you then—I’m mighty glad to hear it.”
“Captain,” said the old man, “you know who I mean. He was my first Friend in life and he will be my last—same as he is to you. Jesus doesn’t come to see me; he stays with me all the time. I’m not lonely.”
The abiding presence of Jesus in your life brings peace.
Today by faith you can appropriate the promises Jesus made to the disciples in the upper room.
Allow Jesus, through the Holy Spirit take control of your hearts and lives and you will have abiding peace!
Sunday July 12th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Upper Room Lessons on Heaven
Text: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going”
(John 14:1–4 NIV).
Scripture Reading: John 14:1–15
We often face the age-old question of life after death. Deep down in every heart this question must be answered in order for one to prepare to live.
The story is told that when the gospel was first carried into Britain by the messengers of the cross, a striking incident took place at the court of Edwin, the king. The great hall was lighted with torches and a crowd had gathered to hear what the teachers of this new religion had to say. A grim earl asked, “Can the new religion tell us what lies beyond death? Man comes out of the mystery of eternity, passes through the light of this world, and disappears into the mystery of eternity beyond. Does this new religion tell us what lies beyond death?” Job asked this same question. And in the New Testament, Paul gave the answer: “Christ Jesus . . . has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10 NIV). Jesus’ disciples were also troubled about what happened after death, for Jesus had been telling them that he was going to die on a cross and that the Father would glorify him. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come” (13:33 NIV).
In John 13:36 Peter asked Jesus, “Where are you going?” John 14 is Jesus’ answer. He sought to comfort his disciples about what was soon to take place. He wanted to strengthen them for the difficult times in their future.
He promised them a home with him forever.
Now let’s note five simple facts.
Jesus never promised his disciples an easy way of life. In fact, he told them that following him would bring many difficulties.
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Jesus also said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24 NIV).
But at the same time, Jesus informed his disciples that their trials would be worth it all. And as we go through hardships in this life, we must keep our eyes on Jesus and completely trust him.
“I am going there to prepare a place for you.” Jesus was blazing the way for the disciples. He cleared the way so they could follow in his steps. The author of Hebrews spoke of Jesus as “our forerunner” (6:20). In the Roman army, they had the reconnaissance troops. They went ahead of the main body to blaze the trail and make it safe for others to follow. Jesus explained to his disciples that he was blazing the way to heaven so his disciples could follow in his steps. And his resurrection and ascension prove his point.
Jesus encouraged his disciples by telling of his ultimate triumph.
“I will come back. . . .” History will have a consummation—that being Jesus’ final victory.
Listen to Revelation 1:4–8:
John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (NIV)
Jesus promised his disciples that they will be with him forever.
In Revelation 21:1–4 (NIV) John said:
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 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.”
Jesus told his disciples that he is the way to heaven (John 14:4–6).
Jesus is the way—the only way. Jesus is the truth—the only truth. Jesus is the life—the only life. Jesus alone is the way to the Father. He alone can lead us into God’s presence without shame or fear.
Jesus’ promise to prepare a place for us is made certain by his resurrection. In a way, Jesus’ resurrection is the pledge of our own resurrection. We are linked to him forever.
He has gone to prepare a place for those who trust and believe in Him….and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Sunday July 5th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: The Center of the Circle
Text: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:5–10
“Light” is a favorite word of John’s—used not only in his letters, but also in his gospel. He saw God and light as inseparable. He literally illuminated his letters and gospel with light as again and again he used that symbolism for God and truth.
As we consider 1 John 1:5–10, we find that John, in effect, drew a circle with God at the center. He is the source of the light that fills the circle; dark- ness, with its evil, is beyond the circumference of the circle. Then, with the compassion typical of his great heart, John invited sinful humanity, by nature prisoners of darkness, to enter the circle of light and approach God at its center.
Let’s examine the light and its source (1 John 1:5).
Where do we find the first manifestation of God as “light”? We must flip back to Genesis 1:3: “God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” What preceded that light? The emptiest, most hopeless scene the human mind could ever conjure. The author of Genesis wrote, “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep” (1:2). Then what happened? God’s very presence, which is light, enveloped that murky chaos and creation began.
Listen to John’s words in the prologue of his gospel. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:4–5). The Old Testament revelations of God as light were but fingers pointing to the perfect revelation of God in his Son, Jesus Christ.
What did people see when Jesus came to earth? As their eyes were opened to the truth, they saw his glory. And what was that glory? The glory of the Father in heaven, and that glory was overflowing with grace and truth. That “light,” which is synonymous with Jesus, pierced the darkness, and evil forces of darkness tried in every way to put out his light. But they could not! Even when Jesus was dying on the cross and they thought his light would fade away, it shone all the brighter, for it lightened the dark chasm that had separated people from God. So the Bible’s victory shout is, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all”!
Let’s discover the darkness and its expression (1 John 1:6, 8, 10).
Whenever Scripture says that people walk in “darkness,” it refers to sin—that which separates people from God. In verse 6 John declares that if any one claims to have fellowship with God while simultaneously living in habitual sin, he is a liar in both word and deed. The tense of the verb “walk” speaks of habitual action, something done repeatedly as a lifestyle. Christians may temporarily step into darkness, but because of their new nature, they are miserable until they return to the light.
John teaches an elementary lesson in verse 8. The very first step to God that a sinner must take, which is the hardest step of all, is to say, “I am a sinner.” Such an admission goes against the grain of human nature. Yet anyone who refuses to admit that he or she walks in darkness is without hope in this world and in the world to come. Note also that the word is “sin,” and not “sins.” God is not so much interested in an unbeliever’s specific acts of sin as he is in the sinful human nature that separates the unbeliever from God.
Verse 10 contains John’s most serious statement regarding sin and its expression in human nature. A person who says that he or she does not sin is calling God a liar, for as Paul said, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Such a deceived person does not comprehend God’s truth at all.
Let’s hear the invitation and its results (1 John 1:7, 9).
The word “walk” expresses habitual action. Someone who has formed the habit of daily walking “in the light” as Jesus is in the light gives evidence of a radical change in lifestyle. No longer is there a compatibility with darkness in daily conduct. In verse 7 John teaches an amazing reciprocity: Not only can we have fellowship with God, but he can have fellowship with us!
In verse 9 John tells Christians what to do about sin in their lives. They are not to despair or to believe that they will be lost again because they have sinned. Rather, they are to confess their sins. Unbelievers are instructed to “believe” ( John 3:16), but Christians have already believed. When they sin, they are to “confess”—agree with God about their sins. As a result, God will “forgive us our sins, and . . . cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” John was talking about receiving forgiveness after committing a specific sin. After Christians confess, fellowship is restored and God cleanses them from all defilement accompanying the sin.
A circle of fellowship is illumined by God’s pure light. In the circle’s center is Jesus Christ. When we repent of our sin and believe that Jesus died for our sin and rose from the dead, we are admitted to that circle. We do not become perfect. Sometimes we wander to the circumference and temporarily step into darkness. But all is not lost! There is a way back to the center of the circle.
Remember and say to yourself: I am an imperfect person…..loved by a perfect God.
May God bless
Pastor Don
Sunday June 28th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
The basis for this sermon was written by Hugh Wamble….but it totally fits our society today so I thought I would share his thoughts with you today.
Text: “Stand fast . . . in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage . . . ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Gal. 5:1, 13).
Scripture Reading: Galatians 5:1–3, 13–16
Nearly two and a half centuries ago, a few men assembled in Philadelphia endorsed the words of Thomas Jefferson that prefaced one of the major political revolutions in human history, words that stir the feelings of people who seek and value freedom: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Freedom is the ideal in every age. Where do we seek it? How do we exercise it? Let’s consider some forms that peoples’ quests for liberty take.
Some seek freedom by force.
People who want freedom for themselves seek it through force. What they want, they take. They respect neither the person nor the property of others. Their sole intent is to satisfy their own lusts, whatever their nature.
The philosophy of this quest is that “might makes right.” It is the philosophy of the bully who demands that others give in to his wishes. He uses verbal force or threats when possible, physical force or violence when necessary. Force cannot bring freedom. When people get on top by force, they become the victims of two forces against which they have no protection—a lust for more power and a fear of those below them who aspire for freedom through the overthrow of those in power. Lust and paranoia hold the bullies captive. The bullies gain deliverance from lust and paranoia only as they succumb to another bully. As Jesus said: “All they that take [or live by] the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matt. 26:52). The “fastest gun in the West” was a wanted man—wanted by every gunman who wanted the reputation of being the fastest. Likewise, the team that brags about being number one is the one other teams want to beat.
The exercise of raw force inspires in its victims a yearning for real freedom. When English officials used imprisonment in 1667 in an effort to force William Penn to give up Quaker views, he said, “The jail will be my grave before I’ll change one jot. . . . The Tower was the worst argument to use against me; for whoever may be right or wrong, those who use force can never be right.”
Most seek freedom through law.
Civilized society cannot exist where each does what is right in his or her own eyes (Judg. 21:25), where personal whim and force are the only guides to social conduct. One theme of human history is the futility of force, the law of the jungle. Another is the quest for rules or laws for ordering society.
The Declaration of Independence is history’s best-known statement of this quest; the US Constitution and its Bill of Rights are the most celebrated expressions of its achievement. One states, the other assumes, that “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle” people to the equality to which all people are created; that government’s purpose is to secure human rights; that government derives its just or lawful powers “from the consent of the governed”; that public officialdom, which is insensitive to human rights and humane laws—in 1776, a king—is a threat to freedom, as a train of twenty-seven abuses and usurpations proves; and that lovers of freedom through law look “to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of . . . intentions,” rely “on the protection of divine Providence,” and “pledge to each other . . . Lives . . . Fortune and . . . sacred Honor.” The Constitution rests on the premise that government’s powers are dangerous when concentrated, so it distributes them: the legislature has the power to make laws; the executive, to administer them; and the judiciary, to interpret them. The Bill of Rights rests on the premise that some rights are beyond the reach of government’s power.
The philosophy of freedom through law is, as President Gerald R. Ford phrased it in his inaugural address, that “right makes might”—that is, right laws are a beneficent force, essential to civil tranquility, domestic peace, and social harmony.
Law provides limited freedom at best. It marks the boundaries within which one can operate freely but beyond which one cannot go. Often it appears in the negative: “Thou shalt not. . . .” For law to work, all must be equally subject to it; also, officials must administer it even- handedly. We are not free to obey the laws we like and transgress those we dislike. Whoever seeks freedom under law—whether it be the Jewish law, which Paul, in Galatians, contrasted with the gospel and viewed as a tutor preparing for the gospel, or some other law— “He is a debtor to do the whole law” (Gal. 5:3). Sometimes we yearn for more freedom than law can provide, and we feel like applying to law what the song applies to other things—“Don’t Fence Me In.”
Anyone acquainted with the changing concept and practice of law in the last two and a half centuries cannot avoid the conclusion that law is capable of abuse and that it can be a force that tyrannizes peoples’ persons and spirits. Law is no better than those who make, execute, and interpret it, supported by people who have confidence both in the laws and in public officials. The US system rests on the view that God implanted a law in nature and that government’s laws are to be consistent with it. In the mid-1800s, the “historical school” viewed law as the expression of folk custom, a view that served nationalism—one law for the English, another law for Germans, another law for the French, another law for Americans, and so on. Later the “analytical school” viewed law as something consciously created by lawyers, the state as the entity with sole power to create law, individual “rights” as nothing more than concessions granted by the state, and compulsion, not justice, as the criterion of law. Still later, the “pure theory” school emphasized the procedure by which the state enacts law, not the substance of law, as the clue to law; if lawmakers employ the “pure” procedure or form, law is valid, whatever its nature. Such a view of law provided the basis for several twentieth-century dictatorships, one of them being Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich, which acted according to positive or government-made law in all matters but violated elemental laws of nature.
However essential good laws, applied equally to all and administered even- handedly, are to ordered society, law cannot give people the full freedom for which they yearn. So one prays as Katharine Lee Bates prayed for America: “God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.”
Anyone can find freedom in grace, available through faith and expressing itself in love.
Freedom is available to anyone who believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the theme of Galatians, a letter written in the heat of controversy between those who tried to make Gentile Christians observe Jewish Levitical and ceremonial laws (Judaizers) and those who insisted that God’s grace, which leads one to believe in Jesus Christ, frees one from law’s tyranny and liberates the spirit so that he or she can voluntarily accomplish only what law cannot achieve because of compulsion (Paul’s party).
Spiritual freedom can exist even when human law constricts. When Paul wrote in prison, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am [abasement or abundance], therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11), he was a freer man than Emperor Nero, who was torn between his own ego drives and his fear of enemies. Madame Guyon, imprisoned by Louis XIV for ten years (1695–1705), said it well:
Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage;
Love is the companion of faith. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18). Where there is no fear, there is freedom.
Love fulfills what law at its best can only aim at. Law and officials are a terror to evil works, not to good works (Rom. 13:3). The ideal which the best of laws seeks to attain by observing negative prohibitions (“Thou shalt not . . .”) is attained only by observing the positive demands of love: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Gal. 5:14; Rom. 13:9).
If the Son of God makes us free, we are free indeed! (John 8:36) And from that time on, we are never the same. For, like our Master, we then minister as servants to others (Matt. 20:28).
If you want freedom, seek it where it can be found—not in force, however strong; not in law, however good; but in faith, which expresses itself in love…..the kind of love that is only found through Jesus Christ.
My wife will tell you that the first thing I open in the newspaper is the comics…..for the most part, it is all you can believe. Mom said that 60 years ago.
Believe whatever you want from the news media, but Soros said years ago he would destroy the US if he had to spend all his millions to do it….the media would have us believe that we are all responsible for the sins of our great-great grandparents, they would have us believe that the civil was fought over slavery….study history….it was fought over state’s rights to rule themselves.
My grandparents had nothing to do with slavery, they immigrated from Poland and Alsas Loraine and Scotland. (yeah, I am a mutt.) So how is my family responsible for slavery?
And contrary to the news media….the democrats did not free the slaves….Lincoln did….a republican.
Yes, the actions of a couple of police officers is repulsive and uncalled for….but there are two sides to every coin.
This BLM movement is not about black lives, it is anarchy that will destroy the United States and is being funded (as one arrested protestor told authorities “I’m being paid $15 per hour to be here.”)
The latest is that the leader of BLM wants all churches destroyed, their stainglass windows smashed and any depictions of Christ destroyed.
All lives matter….check out the statements (google) of Mumahamad Ali, Jr. his language is course and gruff, but he makes the point,
Stevie Wonder said it best….if black lives matter, when are blacks going to stop killing other blacks?
Sunday June 21st, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Text: “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him” (Matt. 1:24).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:19–25
When Christmas rolls around, the spotlight settles on baby Jesus; his mother, Mary; the shepherds; the angels; and the Magi. Have you ever heard a sermon about Joseph, Mary’s husband, who functioned as Jesus’ human father? In my entire library, I have only one printed sermon on him.
The Roman Catholic Church has canonized Joseph, calling him St. Joseph. But Protestantism has virtually ignored him. He deserves better. He must have been a remarkable man of God to be chosen from all men on earth to serve as Jesus’ earthly father. Let us use the occasion of Father’s Day to give him honor.
Matthew recorded the most information about Joseph. He was a descendant of David, so royal blood coursed through his veins. He maintained a dignity and kindness that reflected his family heritage. He witnessed Jesus’ birth, saw the shepherds’ adoration, and led Mary and the baby to Egypt to escape Herod’s slaughter of infants. Joseph took Jesus to the temple at least twice—once in his infancy and again when he was twelve years old. Jesus called Joseph “father” and was subject to his authority. Joseph feared God and worked hard to support his family in a rustic town disdained for its obscurity and provincialism.
Joseph disappeared from the historical accounts of the Gospels. It is likely that he died when Jesus was a young man; and Jesus, as the oldest son, assumed the responsibility of Joseph’s carpenter shop and the support of his family. He did not stop working as village carpenter until his younger brothers were old enough to take over. Then he entered his public ministry.
Although little is written about Joseph, we find plenty of facts to know that he was a great man.
Joseph was a just man.
“Then Joseph her husband, being a just man . ..” (Matt. 1:19). The Bible tells us with frankness and tact of Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph was sensitive to society’s moral standards. He could not ignore what people would think and say. All his life he had been abiding by this high standard. Apparently Joseph had no dynamic, overwhelming personality. He was a good man with ordinary abilities, but he put those abilities in God’s hands, and God used him. God wants to use you in the same way.
Joseph was sensitive to his own reputation. When people say, “I don’t care what people think as long as I think I’m right,” they are only trying to fool themselves. Being right is most important, but what others think of you is also important. You truly may be right, but if people think you are wrong, you may have lost your opportunity to help them. A godly person’s reputation is very important.
Joseph was sensitive to Mary’s plight. “While he thought on these things . . .” (Matt. 1:20). He delayed any rash judgments and did not want to believe the worst. He kindly considered Mary’s dilemma and was willing “to put her away privily” (Matt. 1:19) if that would protect her from the cruel gaze of hostile neighbors. His emotional balance in this crisis is amazing.
Joseph was sensitive to a heavenly vision.
Like Paul, Joseph was not disobedient to his vision from heaven. A super- natural birth required supernatural proof. After his dream, he had no further doubts and unreservedly accepted Mary as his wife. They had perfect faith in each other.
Joseph was a faithful father.
He provided Jesus with a human example for his sublime teachings about God as our heavenly Father. John Stuart Mill could not pray the Lord’s Prayer because he had experienced brutal, unreasonable discipline by his callous father. To think of God as a Father like his father was uncomplimentary to God.
Jesus seemed to warmly remember Joseph’s generosity to his children: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:11 NIV).
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32) is perhaps most revealing. This moving story could also be called “the parable of the loving father.” The best part of the story is the boy’s return from a far country. We know that the father never ceased to watch for him, for “when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him” (v. 20). The father “ran,” denoting his own eagerness for reconciliation. He joyfully welcomed his son back home with a robe, ring, shoes, and a joyous feast. The father said to his other son, “Thy brother . . . was lost, and is found” (v. 32).
Jesus said that God is
like that. Though you may have wandered away from him, he is a loving Father who
longs for your return. He will forgive you and restore your place as his son or
daughter if you will turn from your old life and look to him.
Remember: God wants full custody, not just weekend visits.
Sunday June 14th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Upper Room Lessons on Love
Text: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34–35 NIV).
Scripture Reading: John 13:31–38
Today we enter into the sacred place of the upper room where Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. Here Jesus taught his disciples just before his crucifixion ( John 13–17), here the devil won a victory over Judas, here Jesus met with his disciples after the resurrection, and here the disciples prayed and the Holy Spirit set the fires of Pentecost. My message today will be confined to John 14–17, the account of Jesus’ last evening with the Twelve.
We see in our reading that Jesus was facing the agony of the cross, and it is evident that the disciples were not ready for the work he was committing to them. They were dense, thick headed, weak, jealous of one another, and hungry for power. Judas was struggling with Satan. The disciples still didn’t understand about the Messiah or their mission (cf. Matt. 16). They had to learn quickly and adequately. The first lesson they needed to learn was the meaning of love ( John 3:1–31)—Jesus’ love and their love.
Jesus explained the relationship between love and service (John 13:1–5). In the upper room during the passion meal, Jesus demonstrated his love. John 13:1 in the New International Version says, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” His hour had come. Here was Jesus, “the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world,” ready to die a redemptive death. He would soon no longer be with his disciples physically. He needed to show them that “He loved them [and continuously loves them with His perfect love] to the end (eternally)” (John 13:1 AMP). Compare Romans 5:6–8 and Ephesians 3:14–19. So Jesus did the work of a servant as he washed their feet. John 13:6–11 gives Peter’s reaction, as he misunderstood the Master’s actions. Jesus then interpreted the meaning of his actions (13:13–17). A servant must not expect better treatment than his Lord. There is only one kind of greatness, the greatness of service—true humility. Our love is shown by our willingness to do whatever is necessary to advance Christ’s kingdom—even if it involves humiliating service.
Jesus appealed to Judas with longsuffering love (John 13:18–30).
Judas must have been the perfect actor and the perfect hypocrite—he deceived everyone but Jesus. After revealing that a disciple would betray him, Jesus gave a morsel to Judas. To give a morsel at a meal was a mark of goodwill. Judas must have been on Jesus’ left, the place of highest honor kept for the most intimate friend. Again and again Jesus must have quietly appealed to Judas, but Judas remained unmoved, impervious to this appeal of love. This scene beautifully displays the attitude Jesus expects us to have. Real Christ-like love always seeks the best for everyone.
Jesus taught them that love meant going to the cross, which would be followed by great glory (John 13:31–33).
The disciples had to learn that the Christian way is not the easy way. To bring redemption to the world and glory to God, Jesus had to bear a cross. Soon the disciples would see Jesus dying on the cross, for he was now seen as a God who was not only concerned about people but was actually involved with people. God would glorify Jesus through the resurrection and his return to glory. And the disciples would often face a cross as they carried on Christ’s work—and Jesus would glorify them.
Jesus gave his disciples a command to love one another (John 13:34–35).
This was Jesus’ farewell command. We are to keep on following his examples of love (agape).
Jesus loved his disciples selflessly and sacrificially. Sometimes we think love is meant to give us happiness. In the long run, it does, but it may bring pain or demand a cross. Jesus also loved his disciples understandingly. He knew them and he still loved them. Jesus loved his disciples forgivingly even when Peter later denied him and the others forsook him in his time of need. They were blind and insensitive, slow to learn, and lacking in understanding, but there was no failure in them that Jesus could not forgive. As he loved, so are we to love.
Love for everyone no matter what their race. The other day I was at Shop Rite and an older negro woman was trying to load a case of water into her car….she looked sort of frail so I said to her, please let me help you….to that she replied, “Why do you a white man want to help me a black woman?” I simply replied, I didn’t realize you were black, I just thought you were a human being who needed some help. That brought a smile to her face. Just a simple act of kindness is sometimes all it takes.
Jesus knew the future of the kingdom depended not on the brilliance and greatness of his followers, but on their loving one another as he loved them. So it is today. The first lesson in the upper room is love.
I want to be so filled with the love of Christ that if I am bitten by a mosquito he will fly off singing…”there is power in the blood, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb.”
Sunday June 7th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Let Us Encourage One Another
Text: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb. 10:24 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:19–25; 12:1–2
In a sermon titled “The Need for Encouragement,” Dr. W. Truett declared that no one is exempt from the need to be encouraged by others. This is particularly true in family circles. Husbands need encouragement from their wives and vice versa. Mothers need encouragement from their children. Children need constant encouragement from both parents.
It is interesting to note how our text is translated by various versions. The King James Version puts it, “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Heb. 10:24). Provoke means “to arouse to action, to excite, to stir up the feelings.” The word is often used with reference to arousing one to anger, but in our text it is a strong word used to encourage love and good works.
The Revised Standard Version translates the verse, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” “Stir up” means “to move, to excite, to agitate.”
The Good News translation translates our text, “Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.” To be concerned is to show interest or care. To help is to provide assistance.
The New International Version puts it, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” To spur is to prompt or motivate.
Whatever the version used, the verse urges us to help one another practice self-giving love and perform good works for God and others.
Let us encourage one another.
This imperative is all inclusive in its necessity. Every one of us will need encouragement during the coming week as we attempt to achieve various goals. Achievement is always the result of overcoming obstacles.
This imperative is all inclusive in its application. God’s will is for each of us to be a cheerleader for others.
Husbands and wives should encourage each other as they work toward a happy and successful marriage.
Parents should encourage their children, especially through words of appreciation. Too often parents are overly generous with criticism and stingy with encouragement.
Children can greatly encourage their parents by their choices and their conduct.
Teachers have a marvelous opportunity to encourage students to achieve excellence, and students also can be a great encouragement to their teachers.
In employer-employee relationships, there is much room for improvement in encouraging each other.
Good coaches are those who can encourage their team as a whole to strive for excellence.
All Christians should consider themselves part of God’s cheering squad to encourage other Christians.
So why is continuous encouragement needed?
An illness that often goes undetected afflicts many of us. It is called depression. People have a tendency to become discouraged even while doing helpful and significant work. Why is this so?
Some reasons within ourselves make living by the principle of love and helpfulness difficult. By nature we are immature and self-centered. We find it easier to hate than to love. We find it easier to quit than to continue. We must overcome these inward inclinations. The right kind of encouragement can help us.
Some reasons outside ourselves make living by the principle of love and helpfulness difficult. We live in a self-centered world that measures success largely in terms of having and acquiring and accomplishing. There is not much encouragement for people to be anything other than self-centered.
Some reasons even within the Lord’s work make it difficult for us to devote ourselves to a life of loving helpfulness to others. The sinful world in which we live provides no encouragement. The devil will do everything he can to create discouragement, despair, and defeat. Spiritual progress is always an uphill experience. The prevailing spirit of the world urges us to float downstream, and it is always hard to swim upstream.
The author of Hebrews marshals the spiritual leaders of the past in chapter 11, which has been called faith’s Hall of Fame, so that they may cheer us on as we run the race that has been set before us (Heb. 12:1–2).
Let us encourage one another to have greater faith in God. Let us share with others our relationship with Jesus Christ so that we might impart to them the benefits of our faith.
Let us encourage one another to make a sacrifice for God and for others. The measure of our sacrifice is the measure of our love and our faith. Until we are willing to sacrifice for our God and for others, our faith will not have much opportunity to develop.
Let us encourage one another to dedicate ourselves to spiritual values. We live in a world that emphasizes materialistic values. The greatest values, however, are in the heavenly realm. It has been said that one’s interest will always follow one’s dollars. Let us encourage one another to live with eternity in mind rather than living with no thought for tomorrow.
Let us encourage one another to be concerned for others’ souls. We can witness to those who come into the circle of our personal influence. We can pray for other organizations that take part in bringing men, women, and children to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Let us encourage one another to involve ourselves in loving
service so that we will truly be worth something to God and to others.
May the Lord enable us to cheer one another onward as he seeks to encourage us.
And may he always put his Spirit within us and on us. Remember, no one will have
their own little corner of heaven. Someone once said, that when we get to heaven
we will be surprised at who we see, and maybe even more surprised by those we
don’t see.
Sunday May 31st, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
Text: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 14:15–24
A 1967 Academy Award–winning movie was titled Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. The film portrays the story of a girl from a wealthy white family who becomes engaged to a black man. The parents consider themselves to be very liberal-minded but at times appear otherwise, making for both some painful and some comical aspects.
How would you respond if someone invited you to a dinner where the special guest was Jesus Christ, the Son of God? How would you react to the possibility of inviting him into your home for a meal? How would you react if you received an invitation to attend a banquet at which Jesus Christ was serving as the host?
It is interesting to note in the words of our text that Jesus Christ invites himself to come into our lives. He offers to sit as a guest at the table that we would place before him. In turn he would serve as the host for a banquet that he would provide for us.
It is significant that our Lord would describe conversion and the Christian life in terms of a banquet experience in which both he and the guests would enjoy feasting and fellowship together. How tragic it is that many look upon the Christian life as a famine instead of a feast.
There is a stranger at the door.
The door is pictured as the entrance into one’s heart and life. Each of us as individuals have control over that door. We can open the door, or we can keep it closed. To each of us is given the privilege and the responsibility of choice. This person, should be no stranger. The passage in Revelation was written not to the unsaved but to the churches of Jesus Christ.
We need this stranger in the house of our life as much as we need health, and even more.
We need this stranger in the house of our life as much as we need wealth, and even more.
We need this stranger in the house of our life more than we need friends, as important as they are.
We need the stranger in the house of our life as the dominant member of our family. He can greatly enrich our family life if we will let him in.
Who is this Stranger who wants to come to dinner?
He who stands at the door of our heart repeatedly and patiently is no figment of human imagination. He is no fictitious character from some religious novel. The Stranger at the door is the man of Nazareth whose claims, character, and conquest of death and the grave prove that he is the Son of God. He came in human flesh to reveal God’s grace, love, and power. This Stranger at the door is the creative Lord who comes for his own place in the center of the heart of his creatures. He comes not as an intruder, but as the One who has the privilege of ownership by right of creation and preservation. He wants to claim his own by virtue of his redemptive love.
What does this Stranger at the door want to do?
This divine Stranger wants to come into your life. He wants to come in through the door. He is not satisfied merely to look in.
This divine Stranger wants to be your Savior and Lord. He wants to bring you the gift of forgiveness and bestow on you the gift of eternal life. He wants to bring into your innermost being his precious Holy Spirit to be your Teacher, Guide, and Helper.
This divine Stranger wants to become your friend. Christ takes the initia- tive in coming to us in order that he might get acquainted with us, but even more so in order that we might become acquainted with his transforming and enriching presence.
This divine Stranger wants to make our life complete. From the days of Adam, people have been but a fraction of what the Creator God meant for us to be. The living Christ came to heal the wound inflicted by sin. He came so that by his death and resurrection he might return us to our Creator. Life without him is incomplete, unhappy, unfruitful, and unsatisfying.
This wonderful Stranger wants to reclaim you for God’s glory and to recreate within you the nature of God. He wants to rescue you from the sin that is so destructive to you and to restore to you the joy and happiness that God meant for you to have.
What must you do regarding this Stranger?
You may decide simply to ignore him and to have nothing to do with him.
You may decide to neglect or postpone making any decision concerning this divine Guest who wants to come into your life.
You may deliberately decide to reject him and have nothing to do with him. Most likely this would be your reaction if you consider him to be some kind of thief who wants to rob you and take something from you. You will probably reject him if you consider him to be some kind of bully who wants to mistreat you and subordinate you to his selfish will.
The way of wisdom is to recognize this Guest at the door as the divine Son of God who comes with the gifts of heaven for you.
With an ear attentive to his knocking at the door, respond with the faith that is willing to accept him and with the joy that is willing to welcome him into your life. This divine Stranger alone can bring to you the gift of forgiveness that is full and free and forever. He alone can bring you the gift of eternal life and make you a member of God’s family. And he alone can teach you the truth of God that will help you to live an abundant life in the here and now. Treat him not as an enemy who wants to invade your life with destructive purposes. Instead, welcome him as the Friend who loves you so much that he was willing to die for you. Accept him as being so divine that he conquered death and the grave and lives forever to be the loving Lord of your life.
Sunday May 24th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: What Is a Born-Again Christian?
Text: “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (John 3:3 RSV).
Scripture Reading: John 3:1–15
The term “born-again Christian” has had national and even international attention since former US president Jimmy Carter acknowledged publicly that he is a born-again Christian. Since that time there have been many commentaries on what it means to be a born-again Christian. One curious writer addressed a letter to Ann Landers with an inquiry, “In plain barroom language, explain what it means to be a ‘born-again Christian.’” Ann Landers, who was Jewish, replied as if she were an evangelical Christian with the answer, “It means that you have let Jesus Christ come into your heart.”
Not all people who think they are born-again Christians are born-again Christians.
To merely believe in God does not mean that you are a Christian. Remember, Satan believes that there is a God.
To live a morally upright life and be a decent neighbor does not mean that you are a born-again Christian.
To be reared in a godly Christian home does not mean that you are a born-again Christian, for physical birth and a good environment do not bring us into God’s family. I was raised in a very “Godly family” but it did not save my soul, I had to make that decision on my own, until then, I was a sinner bound for hell.
To be baptized does not mean that you’re a born-again Christian.
To be a church member, even a very good one, does not guarantee that you are a born-again Christian.
What is the birth from above?
The new birth is a divine change wrought in the heart of a believer by the Holy Spirit of God.
The new birth is a complete change wrought in the innermost being of a believer by the Holy Spirit. This change is not a partial or installment event. It is not a “Sunday morning”, once a week event.
The new birth is a permanent change wrought in the heart of a believer upon entering into a new relationship with God. It is a 24/7 everyday experience.
Why does everyone need the new birth?
Jesus said that it was absolutely essential if one would see and enter into the kingdom of God. He spoke these words to Nicodemus in John 3.
Our present spiritual condition requires that we experience this birth from above. Until this birth is experienced, one is spiritually dead, being devoid of the spiritual life of God.
God’s holy nature requires that we experience this birth from above so that we might have fellowship with him. It is in the new birth that we become partakers of the divine nature. Apart from this new birth, we do not have a nature that would enable us to love God and enjoy his fellowship.
What does the new birth do for or to a person?
Most definitely the new birth does NOT make one perfect or infallible. We are human and will make mistakes, but God will forgive those who ask for His forgiveness.
The new birth introduces one into the family of God (John 1:12; Gal. 4:6; 1 John 3:1–2). We become part of a human family by physical birth, and we become part of God’s family by spiritual birth.
The new birth brings eternal life as a present possession to the believer (John 3:36; 5:24). Eternal life is not a reward that is bestowed on us at the end of the way as a result of great faithfulness and sacrifice. Eternal life is the gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and it comes to us in the moment of our faith response to Christ (Rom. 6:23).
The new birth brings the Holy Spirit of God into the heart of the believer (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 1 John 4:13). The Holy Spirit takes up residency within the heart of a believer at the moment of new birth so that he might direct the believer in God’s great redemptive work and reproduce within that believer the character of Jesus Christ.
The new birth makes spiritual growth possible (1 Peter 2:1–2). Until the new birth has been experienced, it is impossible to grow spiritually.
The Holy Spirit brings us under the correction and chastisement of our Father God (Heb. 12:4–10).
After we become the children of God, God deals with our sins as a father would deal with the sins and mistakes of his child. Because he loves us, he chastises us to bring us into conformity with the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.
How can we be sure that we are born again?
Are you trusting Jesus Christ as Savior? Have you put your trust in him and in him alone for your salvation? Or are you trusting yourself to get the job done? You cannot do it on your own. You can only be sure of a born-again experience if you are trusting Jesus Christ.
There are some distinctive marks of the twice-born. Do you have these characteristic features?
Do you have an appetite for the things of the spiritual life? Do you hunger for the Word of God? Do you hunger for fellowship with the people of God? An absence of these would indicate either spiritual illness or the absence of life.
Do you love God and God’s people (1 John 3:14; 4:19)? If you do not love God and his people, you should be disturbed about your spiritual condition.
Do you have an aversion for sin? Do you want to avoid sin and eliminate it from your life (1 John 2:1; 3:9)? If you find deep within your heart a sincere aversion for doing that which is wrong, this is one of the evidences that you have been born of the Spirit and that God’s nature dwells in you.
Do you have an ambition to please God in all of your life? If you can honestly answer in the affirmative, these are evidences that indeed you have experienced the new birth.
How can one experience the new birth?
You must come to Jesus Christ in faith that trusts him. Accept him to be what he claims to be. Decide that you will depend on him to do what he offers to do and what he has promised to do.
To come to Christ means that you turn from a life of selfishness, sin, and self- destructiveness and that you make the decision to let Jesus Christ become Lord of your life. Turn from self-righteousness and from the wickedness that will destroy you, and commit your life to Jesus Christ. Claim him as your very own. Confess him before others and identify yourself with him.
But the key is that you, yourself have to do it. Mom and Dad cannot do it for you. No one else can make the decision for you. So how do you do it? By a simple prayer….”Lord Jesus, I am a sinner and I need you, come into my heart and cleanse me from all my sin.” It is that simple!
Nicodemus, a very good man, needed the new birth. The Samaritan woman, described in John 4, a very fallen woman, also needed the new life that the new birth brings. All of us are somewhere between these two extremes. And between these two extremes, all of us can come to Christ and experience the new birth.
If you are already a born-again believer, then you are obligated to tell others about Him.
Sunday May 17th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Christ—The Humiliated One
Text: “We do see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 2:1–18
The new covenant could be established only by the death of Christ (Heb. 9:16). God is the one establishing the new covenant. The God of heaven cannot die. For the covenant to become effective, God left the safety and glory of heaven in the person of Jesus Christ and took on himself the form of man. God as true man could die. This is what happened to Jesus at Calvary.
The taking on of human form was a humiliating experience for Jesus Christ. Yet he did it so that we might have eternal life. In this particular chapter of Hebrews, the humiliation of Jesus Christ is vividly brought home to the reader: How?
First, by the passiveness of humankind (Heb. 2:1–4).
God’s position is that of glory and honor. Everyone should respond to him in reverence and worship. When Jesus appeared in human form, this perplexed the minds of his day. Jews were tempted either to neglect or to reject this historical Jesus as the true God. Shame was inflicted on Jesus as the Jews failed to accept him as God’s Son. The writer of Hebrews dealt with the problem of apathy toward Jesus Christ.
Sometimes we neglect the message (2:1). Christians are challenged to give special attention to the message of God. To ignore the message is, in essence, to declare it of no importance to the soul.
Sometimes men reject the validity of the message (2:2). In building his case against those who neglect Jesus, the author maintained that the law of judgment and wrath had been properly applied by God in the past. God’s message is valid.
There is a warning in the message (2:3). People may humiliate the person of Jesus Christ by ignoring the entire fact of his death, burial, and resurrection. Yet God is not the one who suffers; it is people who suffer. This message has been confirmed by the testimony of first-century believers and should not be rejected by present readers. Beware of any message that does not stress His death, burial and resurrection…without these we have absolutely nothing on which to base our faith.
We cannot ignore the proof of the message (2:4). Along with the introduction of Jesus Christ and the new covenant, God gave additional signs and wonders to prove that the message was from him.
How? First by the position of angels (Heb. 2:5–9).
The author went to special lengths in chapter 1 to reveal Jesus’ superiority to the angelic world. In this chapter on the humiliation of Christ, the author mentioned that Jesus was made “a little lower than the angels” (2:9).
We see the original relationship (2:5). In preparing readers for the position of humiliation that our Lord assumed (“lower than the angels”), the author emphasized that the future was placed in the hands of Jesus and not the angels. This humiliation was temporary.
Christ took a place of humility (2:9). The process of humiliation was accomplished by the voluntary will of Jesus Christ. He endured this shame by the grace of God.
What was the purpose of humiliation (2:9). Jesus’ crucifixion was recognized by a crown of glory and honor. Jesus tasted death on behalf of all humankind so that those who believe in him do not have to face eternal death.
Let us now look at the participation of Christ (Heb. 2:10–17).
Jesus willingly participated in the humiliation process that caused him to become flesh and blood and to die a vicarious death. Several matters are detailed in this passage that reveal his desire to secure salvation for humankind, even through humiliation.
Christ is the captain of salvation (2:10). Jesus desired to lead many people to the way of salvation. He had to become the captain of their salvation. To carry out this role, he had to suffer.
Christ had to identity with humankind (2:11–13). The author of Hebrews drew an affinity between the Sanctifier and the ones sanctified. Jesus is pictured as being in total identification with people, as “he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”
Christ’s submission to death (2:14–15). The ultimate in Jesus’ humiliation came when he submitted himself to death. He had to enter the realm of death, or kingdom of darkness, to destroy it from within.
It was a voluntary activity (2:16). This verse literally means that Jesus took on himself the care and concern of “the seed of Abraham.” He could have been indifferent, but his very nature compelled him to take action. As the song writer aptly put it, “He could have called ten thousand angels, but……he didn’t!
Christ became the priest of reconciliation (2:17). It was necessary for Jesus “to be made like unto his brethren” so that he could be our faithful and merciful High Priest. This was the only way he could secure reconciliation for humankind.
Think about this: No only was the crucifixion a painful way to die, but the Romans had to add to this torture by stripping the crucified one naked, true humiliation! Our beautiful pictures of Christ on the cross do not show the true image of the Christ crucified, probably because the scene was so horrendous that mankind could never look on it….a battered, bruised, tortured man hanging naked on the cross…..why??? Simply put….because He loved us so much He was willing to die a terrible death for us!
The humiliation process gave Jesus the opportunity to experience the same temptation that people face (Heb. 2:18). Consequently, he is able to come to people’s aid, not on a theoretical basis, but on an experiential basis. He encourages his followers to a life of victory because he won total victory for them as he experienced life and death in the flesh, and praise God, He defeated death with His resurrection.
Sunday May 10th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Today is Mother’s day, a day society sets aside to be “nice” to mom….I don’t know why we need a special day to be nice to our mothers….we should be caring and loving every day. Okay, a day when we are extra special to mom, but mothers are special every day not just one Sunday a year because there will be a time when we will wish mom was still here for us to enjoy. I know, my mom is with her heavenly Father, but I still miss her….
And so now, my mother’s day message:
Text: “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you”
(Luke 1:28 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26–35, 46–56
We should look for models to imitate in the Scriptures. Today, on Mother’s Day, let us look at Mary, the mother of our Lord, as a great model of motherhood. Let us discover something about her faith and faithfulness. Let us consider the fruit of her motherhood so that we may identify some factors that contributed to her success as a mother.
Mary was chosen for a mission (Luke 1:28).
Mary became the mother of Jesus by way of a miraculous conception. Jesus was born of a virgin. He had an earthly mother without an earthly father.
Because of his love for us, God chose to become flesh and blood, and to do so, he came as a baby, born by a miraculous virgin conception. But it was not Mary’s virginity alone that qualified her uniquely for becoming Jesus’ mother.
Mary was a devout worshiper of the true God.
Mary was pure in mind and heart and body.
Mary was humble, realizing her dependence on God.
Mary was obedient to God’s will.
Mary was willing to do what God had planned for her.
Mary had an attitude of gratitude. She was thankful that God used her to further his work.
Mary was consistent and self-controlled. These are qualities needed by modern mothers as well as by the mother of Jesus.
Mary was chosen to be a model.
Mary was not just chosen for a mission; she was also chosen to be an example for other mothers.
Mary responded positively to God’s plan for her life. Once she knew God’s will, she desired to participate as God had planned.
Mary magnified the Lord in song for his goodness and mercy. God puts a song in the hearts of those who trust him.
Mary worshiped the mighty God of Israel (Luke 1:49). Mary’s God was no weakling. He was the great God, the creator of the universe. He was God on the throne, and she responded to his authority.
Mary worshiped the merciful God (Luke 1:50). Humanity needs mercy more than justice. God is eager to forgive and to help the undeserving.
Mary worshiped the helping God (Luke 1:54). God’s love expresses itself in a persistent attitude of goodwill and helpfulness to his people. The psalmist described the God of Israel as “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). Mary felt this assistance from God, and she became a helper to him in his work of helping others.
Mary suffered the pains of motherhood.
Much pain is associated with the birth experience. Even greater pains lie along the pathway of life for some mothers, and Mary endured these pains. The joke in our family centered around me…..I was born on my mother’s birthday, weighed over 10 pounds and was a breech birth….the joke was that even though she endured all that when I was born, she still talked to me.
When Jesus was twelve years old, Mary found it difficult to understand him (Luke 2:49–50). Mary could sympathize with modern mothers of teenagers. Proverbs says to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it…..it says nothing about teenagers.
Later Mary’s other children were indifferent to Jesus’ true identity. They did not accept him to be who and what he really is until after his resurrection.
Mary no doubt felt much pain when Jesus was rejected by the people of his hometown, Nazareth (Luke 4:28–29).
Mary suffered the horrible shame of seeing her Son arrested, falsely accused, convicted, condemned, and crucified. “There stood by the cross of Jesus his mother” (John 19:25).
In no way can we fully comprehend the agony in Mary’s heart during these terrible hours of Jesus’ suffering.
Mary worshiped a risen and ruling Savior.
After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, Mary was present with those who had rejoiced in his victory over death. She was with them as they prayed in anticipation of the Holy Spirit’s coming (Acts 1:14).
Mary is an excellent model for contemporary mothers.Hers was a life of great faith, made evident by her song called the Magnificat, which was recorded by Luke (1:46–55).
Mary’s heart was in tune with God as she was constantly open to his will.
Her prayer was dialogue rather than monologue.
Mary believed that God’s will was good, and that it was something to desire instead of something merely to undergo.
Mary, as a good role model for mothers everywhere, encourages us to purity, prayer, and participation in God’s will.
Sunday May 3rd, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Christ—God’s Messenger
Text: “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” (Heb. 1:1–2 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:1–14
The letter to the Hebrews was written to prove that the new covenant in Jesus Christ is superior to the old covenant of Mount Sinai. God sent his messenger, Jesus Christ, to establish the new covenant. This introductory chapter to Hebrews is filled to overflowing with spiritual facts about Christ—God’s messenger.
God was active in human affairs before he sent his Son. The author of Hebrews gives a summary of divine dealings prior to “these last days” (1:2).
The revelation of God was directed to fathers, the ones who would respond to responsibility by faith, in order for society to have spiritual guidance.
The message from God came in a variety of ways. God spoke through a “burning” bush, political decrees, meditations, miracles, natural disasters, and a number of other ways.
The author specifically notes the prophets’ role in presenting God’s Word to the fathers.
A concise theological treatise concerning Jesus Christ is given in the next two verses of this chapter. He is presented in three realms:
Christ is revealed to be more than flesh and blood. He is the “cosmic” Christ, and he has complete rule over the physical universe.
Jesus Christ is the heir of all things. This heirship is shared with those who are born again (Rom. 8:17).
The role of creator of the universe is attributed to Christ. This is not an uncommon New Testament teaching (John 1:3, 10; Col. 1:16).
God’s Son is declared to be the One upholding all things by the power of his Word. There is an obvious force at work in the physical sustaining of the universe that the scientific world has not yet recognized (note Col. 1:17).
The world of spiritual reality is controlled by Christ. The author of Hebrews gives three major truths regarding the messenger in the spiritual realm.
The transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–13)
gave us a brief glimpse into the inner glory of our Lord.
The New Testament speaks of Jesus as being the physical image of the invisible
God (John 1:18;
Col. 1:15; 2:9). Those who have seen Jesus have seen the Father (John
14:9).
As royalty (1:3). As Christ finished his earthly service, he took a seat “on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” This phrase does not imply that there are three Gods on three thrones in heaven. Rather, it simply means that Jesus Christ shares in the royalty of the Trinity.
In the human realm. Since it is impossible for people to escape sin by their own power, God sent his Son to purge humanity of all iniquity. It seems that the purpose of Jesus’ activities in both the cosmic and spiritual realm is fulfilled as he works with people in the human realm. He has once and for all delivered humankind from their enslavement to sin.
The author of Hebrews was aware that his recipients were steeped in Old Testament history and theology. They would be tempted either to reject Jesus as being inferior to the angels of Old Testament fame or to categorize him as being “one among many.” The author presented Jesus as God’s superior messenger. This highly exalted Person has a superior name (1:4) that should invoke a response of adoration. The author presented Jesus as being superior to God’s angels in three ways.
At no time has God spoken to angels as he did to Jesus when he said, “Thou art my Son,” this is a very personal relationship.
God directs a statement to society as a whole as he addresses Jesus in the third person. God wants the world to know that Christ is his Son. “I will be to him a Father.” No angel has ever received this recognition from heaven.
The theological word “first- begotten” expresses Christ’s supremacy as he relates to all creation. He is superior to angels.
The book of Hebrews refers to him as a king, and that he is superior to angels.
The holy Father declared his Son’s rule to be of eternal duration.
The chief characteristic of his kingdom will be righteousness. Biblical history gives a record of certain angels who have fallen into evil (Isa. 14:12). Not so with Christ.
Christ imparts gladness to the people he rules.
As God, he is superior to angels.
Christ is the agent of creation while angels are results of creation.
The eternal Christ as compared to the temporal universe points out his superiority to creation (including angels).
A capstone in the comparison of Christ to angels is found in the verse regarding his position in “court.” The enemies of righteousness will serve as his footstool. No angel can ever attain this position of glory.
Though angels are inferior to Jesus, that certainly does not mean they are without purpose. God planned for angels to be ministering servants to those who become heirs of salvation. God has a plan for every member of his creation. Though we might think of ourselves more highly than we ought, we find peace when we adapt our wills to that of Christ.
I’ve said it before, if God is your co-pilot…..try changing seats.
Sunday April 26th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Coming to grips with the Resurrection
Text: “As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him….. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (Luke 24:15–16, 30–31 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 24:13–35
When looking from the standpoint of the two disciples who walked with the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus, our Scripture reading is the most beautiful story in the world. Luke told it simply and in great detail because the experience of these two disciples was representative of all of Jesus’ followers. This story illustrates that it is possible to see yet not perceive, to behold but not recognize, to have the risen Christ walk beside us without realizing it is truly him. These disciples could not see the forest for the trees, their mindset was “I cannot see the trees….all the leaves are in the way.”
This story turns on two key verses—Luke 24:16 and 31. There is a dark side to this story: “They were kept from recognizing him” (v. 16 NIV). But there is also a bright side: “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (v. 31 NIV). Heartbreak and sadness gave way to joy and gladness. As clearly as in any record in the New Testament, here are two sides of a coin.
First the dark side of the coin.
“But they were kept from recognizing him.” Think about this! These disciples were walking beside their risen Lord and did not realize it! What is the fact here? Simply that these disciples were in the presence of the greatest reality in history, the reality of the risen Christ, but they did not know it. Can we sit in judgment on them? Sometimes our own eyes are so often dimmed by unbelief that we fail to realize his presence.
What explains this fact? The statement “They were kept from recognizing him” does not mean that their physical sight was in any way impaired. Nor does it mean that God had blinded their eyes. Their failure to recognize him was a judgment they had brought on themselves.
They were victims of their preoccupation with other thoughts, other things. Obviously they did not expect to see Jesus. They were absorbed in their grief, their frustration, their disappointment….the one whom they thought would overturn Rome was gone from their midst.
They were victims of their own presuppositions. They said, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21 NIV). Here they reveal the popular misunderstanding of the role of the Messiah of their hopes. The crucifixion of Jesus was seen as fatal to the hope that he would prove to be the Christ…..the one who would liberate them from Rome.
They were victims of their own unbelief. Their words to Jesus were a confession of sheer unbelief. They did not expect their Lord to fulfill his own promises, and they refused to believe the word of cheer sent by heavenly messengers.
Jesus rebuked them, saying, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (Luke 24:25–26 NIV). Jesus chided them primarily for not believing the Old Testament. They had failed to believe all that the prophets had spoken, particularly his atoning death and his return to heavenly glory.
What resulted from this fact? What were the consequences of not recognizing their Lord? How dark is the picture! Because they did not believe in their hearts that the resurrection had truly taken place, they had not experienced its uplifting power.
Sadness still ruled their hearts. As the two disciples were talking with each other, Jesus asked, “‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ They stood still, their faces downcast” (Luke 24:17 NIV).
They had abandoned all hope. “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21 NIV). Note the past tense: “We had hoped.” Now their hope was gone.
The fact that the disciples did not recognize Jesus demonstrates the extreme darkness of unbelief. They continued their speech sadly: “And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us.
They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus” (vv. 21–24 NIV). “It is the third day since all this took place.” They did remember Jesus’ promise, but they did not recognize him as the risen Christ. To paraphrase their thoughts, “We remember his promise to rise on the third day, but as you can see, he didn’t keep his promise.” Being disappointed in Jesus is like dwelling in a pit of darkness and doubt.
But now we see the bright side of the coin.
“Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (Luke 24:31 NIV).
What led to their opened eyes, their recognition of Christ? It happened in a second, but it had its steps.
First came the revelation of Scripture. Luke reported, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27 NIV). When finally they recognized him, they said, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32 NIV). Under the magic touch of the Bible’s central figure, the Scriptures they had known from childhood were coming alive with light, and they saw the Suffering Servant of the prophet’s vision as the very Jesus to whom they had grown close. He who offered himself to God without flaw has a rational claim to be Scripture’s best interpreter and translator.
First came their burning hearts. How do you define the inspiration of the Scriptures or the quality that makes the Bible different from all other literature? It defies human definition, but the witness of God’s Spirit in our hearts is the inward glow that confirms the outward revelation. After these two disciples had joined the others in Jerusalem that night, had given their witness, and had heard of the Lord’s appearance to Peter (Luke 24:34), Jesus himself appeared in their midst. Luke wrote, “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45 NIV). An open Bible and open minds result in passionate hearts.
First came the breaking of bread. The simplicity of Luke’s narrative here is instinct with reality and truth: “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, it was like a light being turned on in a dark room… and then he disappeared from their sight” (24:30– 31 NIV). Was it that familiar, characteristic gesture that gave them their clue, some mannerism reminding them of an unforgotten meal with the Master? A symbol is an interpretation to the heart. Our Lord’s symbolic act in that Emmaus cottage was certainly an interpretation to the heart, and two hearts leaped to meet it.
What resulted from their opened eyes, their recognition of Christ? This was a joyous event. When they did recognize him, when they realized that the resurrection truly had occurred, all of life was changed by the experience. Every shattered hope was reborn. Even uncertainty vanished. The disciples’ smoldering hearts burst into flames of joy, and all of life took on a different meaning.
The Bible states that they wasted no time…. “They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them” (Luke 24:33 NIV).
The disciples were in the grip of the most delightful feeling in the world. Something had happened to them. They had wonderful news to tell, news that would set the hearts of all who heard it on fire with joy; and they couldn’t wait to reach Jerusalem so they could share it. In the intense excitement of great joy, they met the Eleven and the others: “Have you heard? Do you know? Isn’t it wonderful?” And the disciples replied, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34 NIV).
Someone has defined the Christian life as a long Emmaus pilgrimage. This is true, for now that he is risen and ascended, geography no longer exists in God’s kingdom. A believing heart has everywhere as the Holy Land. Emmaus is anywhere when we meet the risen Lord and welcome him into our hearts. And when we meet him, we will know him, for we will see him as he is.
The resurrection is a historical fact. May God help us realize this fact. And now that you realize it…..
What are you going to do about it?
Who do YOU SAY that I am??????
Sunday April 19th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
(Note from Pastor Don….the basis for this sermon is “borrowed” from my dad’s files. Original author unknown)
Text: “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’” (Matt. 21:10 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:1–11
On that first Palm Sunday, Jesus, surrounded by a great crowd of followers and others, entered Jerusalem as the King in exact fulfillment of prophecy (Isa. 62:11; Zech. 9:9) to make a final appeal to his own nation. This was his royal entry, and it caused quite a sensation. Matthew said, “The whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’” (21:10 NIV). For two thousand years, this same Jesus has been invading our complacent little Jerusalem, causing considerable disturbance, and many have been pondering his true identity, asking, “Who is this?”
On the evening of Jesus’ resurrection, he appeared to the disciples behind closed doors. He stayed until they recognized him. He came to the Roman Empire and overthrew the Caesars. During the Dark Ages, he came in power to scattered groups. He fortified sorely pressed followers as they proclaimed his truths. He was present during the Protestant Reformation. He came to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with stirrings of power and progress. He confronted the twentieth century, and the question was asked, “Who is Jesus?” Now, in the twenty-first century, this amazing man still disturbs us.
Who is this man who examines our policies and motives and dealings with one another? “Who is this?” This question was relevant two thousand years ago, and it is relevant now. There is no easy answer, but we will consider five roles of this mysterious Jesus.
Jesus was, and is, a man.
Jesus was born a Jew. His parents were called humble peasants, but they were “of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:4). This means that when God became incarnate, he did not assume human flesh in the abstract; he became part of a family. Family membership cuts two ways, so when God came into the world, he entered in such a way as to experience our problem—the family problem. He knew the problem of illustrious relatives, of disgraceful relatives, the problem of “the skeleton in the closet,” the problem of mediocrity. Though born in Bethlehem in fulfillment of prophecy, he grew up in Nazareth in Galilee in a large, devout Jewish family. He had a normal boyhood. He learned his father’s trade and was called “the carpenter” (Mark 6:3). He assumed responsibility for the family at his father’s death. He learned the lore of his people and the Law and the Prophets as taught by the rabbis. At about thirty years of age, he was baptized (Luke 3:23) and entered into his ministry. Never did a man teach as he taught or live as he lived.
Jesus’ body and mind obeyed the laws of normal human development. He met temptations, pondered the cross, slept from weariness, and, exhausted at midday, sat beside a well. Like other men, he had times of great rejoicing, times of hot indignation, and times of deep compassion. At times he was astonished by the people’s lack of faith, at other times by their great faith. His soul was nourished by secret prayer, his power was replenished by quiet retreats, and always he lived in humble filial dependence on his Father.
What about Jesus’ physical appearance? We have no actual description, but since he worked in a rough occupation, he was probably hard and bronzed. We see in Jesus the type of manhood we admire: the courage of a valiant soul, the chivalry of a soldier, the genuineness of a true gentleman, and the purity we want to see in our children. Athanasius said, “Christ became human that men might become divine.”
Jesus is God.
The night before Jesus died, he said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9 NIV). Jesus is God. A distinguished Jewish rabbi wrote, “For Christians Jesus was born divinely and lived humanly; for Jews he was born humanly and lived divinely.” But this is a false distinction, a play on words. Jesus is man. Jesus is God. In the Son, the Father not only acts and speaks, but he is present. Jesus Christ is God himself, uniquely present in human life. The mysteries surrounding the birth, life, and death of Christ are the mysteries of God. The power of his miracles is God’s power. Jesus said, “The works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing— testify that the Father has sent me” ( John 5:36 NIV). His preaching was the Word of God. His healing hands delivered the infinite mercy and health of God. The forgiveness that Christ imparts is the eternal
Jesus is God.
Jesus is head of the church.
Jesus asked his disciples about the current ideas of his identity. “‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’” (Matt. 16:15 NIV). Peter’s confession was, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Jesus was so pleased with Peter’s answer that he said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (vv. 17–18). These are controversial verses about which the Christian world is somewhat divided. But it seems that emphasis has always been placed on the wrong issue. The important thing is that Christ built the church and is therefore its head. Paul told us that Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25) and purchased it with his own blood (Acts 20:28). In Colossians 1:18 Paul said, “He is the head of the body, the church.” In Romans 12 Paul used the physical body to describe the church. He also did so in
1 Corinthians 12, with verse 27 as the key verse: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
Christ is the head of the church. This means three things.
Christ has absolute primacy in his church. The members of the body exist to serve the interests of the head.
Christ has supremacy over his church. Just as the whole government of the body is in the head, so all authority in the church belongs to Christ. He is the supreme ruler of his church on earth. No one else could ever rise to his position.
Christ’s church has complete dependence on him. Just as the human body is lifeless apart from the head, so the church is lifeless apart from Christ.
Another thought, the church of Jesus Christ is not a building of wood, stone, precious metals or anything else. While there are ornate edifices, and simple wooden building (such as ours), it is made up of the believers in Him.
Jesus is the Savior of the world.
The entire New Testament stems from this fact.
There is no question about Jesus’ mission. Jesus never left the world in doubt about his purpose: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10 NIV; see also John 10:10; 1 Tim. 1:15).
There is no question about Jesus’ motive. Christ is the sole mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5). John 3:16, the heart verse of the New Testament, expresses his motive clearly: “For God so loved the world. . . .”
There is no question about the early disciples and their faith. Arrested for preaching Christ after healing a lame man at the temple gate, Peter and John were thrown in jail for the night. The next morning the rulers would have released them in exchange for their promise to keep silent. Instead, Peter preached to the Sanhedrin, charging that they crucified Jesus. Peter affirmed that Jesus was the stone rejected by the builders, which had been made head of the corner. His climax was, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 NIV).
There is no question about Jesus’ method, then and now. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NIV).
Jesus is the Savior of the world. Today many names are associated with security and salvation. Communism has its plans. Socialism has its doctrines. Democracy has its ideals. Politicians have their promises. The military has its mobile power and its missiles. But humankind can only retrieve; we cannot redeem.
Jesus is the constant companion who enables us to serve God and others.
Christ’s transforming power has changed lives, and it still changes lives.Christ helps us understand the Bible. His Spirit guides us into all truth ( John 16:13). He is the key to the Scriptures.
Christ is our model, our example in all things. Paul told the Corinthians, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1 NIV). Did anyone ever display the qualities or meet the standard set forth in the Sermon on the Mount? Yes, one did—Jesus—and we are to follow his example.
Christ is our constant companion along life’s pathway. He promised his disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” ( John 14:18 NIV). He still does.
Christ’s power transforms us into servants of God and others. To know Christ is to travel a hard road. He does not lead us into a cloister. He will take us by the hand and lead us to trials and tribulations of our own in his service.
There are many groups out in the world who would try to have people believe that no one will go to hell…they say a loving God would never send anyone to hell. God does not send anyone to hell….they choose to go there.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
To those who obey him, Christ will reveal himself in the conflicts they encounter, and they will learn in their own experiences who he is.
Do you know who he is?
If you truly know who He is, what are you doing about it?
Easter Sunday April 12th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
EASTER Sunday Morning, April 12
As stated once before, “The church may be empty on Easter Sunday morning……but so was the tomb!!! Praise God!!!!
This sermon is based on one found in my father’s collection…I am not sure of the author but like the farmer who was asked about the butter he had for sale….he said, “I milk a lot of cows, but I churn my own butter.” That being said, I believe this message has a lot for all of us.
God bless,
Pastor Don
Title: The Resurrection of Christ and Our Great Salvation
Text: “Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:24–25 NIV).
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1–5, 12–20
If Jesus had not conquered death and the grave, we would not be worshipping today, we would have no need to worship. Christianity is the only faith that has a living founder. His disciples come together regularly for worship to experience his living presence in their midst (Matt. 18:20).
Christianity is not just good advice; it is good news from a cemetery. It is good news about God for sinners everywhere. To miss this point is to miss the heart of the gospel. The resurrection of Jesus Christ not only makes possible our great salvation, but it also makes it certain (Heb. 7:25). It is interesting to note how this verse is translated in some modern versions. The Good News translation has, “He is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them.” J. B. Phillips has this beautiful paraphrase: “This means that he can save fully and completely those who approach God through him, for he is always living to intercede on their behalf.”
These inspired words affirm both the ability and the determination of the living Christ to fully save those who come to God by him. This possibility is based solidly on the fact of his conquest of sin, death, and the grave. He will abide forever as our living High Priest in the presence of the Father. Dr. Robert G. Lee, for many years pastor of the Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, preached a sermon he called “The World’s Blackest Assumption.” This black assumption—that Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead—is discussed in Paul’s epistle to the believers at Corinth.
If Jesus Christ is not risen, the church has no message for a lost world (1 Cor. 15:14).
If Jesus Christ is not risen, Christians have nothing to believe (15:14).
If Jesus Christ is not risen, the apostles and all subsequent preachers have misrepresented God as having raised Jesus Christ (15:15).
If Jesus Christ is not risen, your faith is an empty, worthless shell. (15:17). Did you ever pick up a box of candy only to find out the box was empty? That is a picture of your faith if Jesus Christ is not risen.
If Jesus Christ is not risen, you are still guilty and under the condemnation that results from sin.
If Jesus Christ is not risen, those believers who died with faith in Jesus Christ are perished (15:18). They are gone forever, and we are but whistling and stumbling in the dark—if Jesus Christ is not risen.
If Jesus Christ is not risen, we are very sad creatures because we have built our lives on an illusion.
Thank God that the world’s blackest assumption is a falsehood, for in fact Jesus Christ is gloriously risen from the dead.
The empty tomb declared to Jesus’ disciples, the Jewish leaders, and the Roman authorities that something had happened to the body that had been buried there. It was the repeated appearances of the risen Christ that completely transformed the hearts and lives of the apostles. They became flaming evangels of the good news that the penalty of sin had been paid, death had been conquered, and Jesus Christ is alive. The risen Christ appeared to his disciples at least ten different times. The thrilling truth of his resurrection gave them a message of hope for a world that was facing despair.
The apostles went out to proclaim that Jesus Christ is alive. This was no figment of their imagination. It was no illusion under which they labored. It was no mirage for which they died. They were able to touch Him. (Remember Thomas)
The resurrection vindicates Jesus of Nazareth as God’s unique Son (Rom. 1:4).
Before his resurrection the apostles believed Jesus to be the Son of God. Following his resurrection and many appearances to them, now they knew he was the Son of God to the extent that they put their lives on the line to tell others of his saving grace. Jesus’ resurrection proved that his crucifixion was a revelation of divine love for sinners.
When Jesus was crucified, the apostles considered it a personal catastrophe. For their leader it was a public disgrace. For all of them it was a tragic political disappointment.
Only through the doorway of an empty tomb from which Jesus had been raised could God reveal that his Son’s death on the cross was a revelation of his great love for sinners.
Christ’s crucifixion demonstrated God’s boundless love for unworthy sinners. This love is not something we can buy or earn. It is God’s free gift. So many people desperately need to be told about the greatness of this love. Without being aware of it, many people are like Juanito Piring, a former hoodlum who wanted to make up for his sins and had himself nailed to a cross each Good Friday for twelve straight years. Piring, a former gangster and street brawler from the slums of Manila, said he was reenacting the crucifixion for a twelfth year to compensate for the errors of his youth. He said, “I subject myself to this torture to make up for my sins and the sins of others.” This sincere but misguided man was seeking to earn something that cannot be earned and to make atonement for sin that has already been atoned for in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
The resurrection enabled Jesus to intercede for us in God’s presence.
The apostle John mentioned this fact when he wrote to encourage his spiritual children to avoid living in sin. “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1–2 NIV). The author of Hebrews wrote of Christ as a mediator who acts on our behalf (9:24). The writer further asserts that Christ has offered himself and continues to offer his sacrificial death as an atonement for the sins of those who accept him as Lord and Savior (10:10–14).
It is by Christ’s victorious resurrection from the dead that his ministry of intercession is made possible. He is able to be our Savior from the penalty of sin, from the practice of sin, and eventually from the very presence of sin because he is a living Savior.
The resurrection gave believers a living Lord and companion for the road of life.
Jesus Christ is much more than an inspirational memory of one who lived in the past. In the forty days between his resurrection and his ascension, he gave the disciples many indisputable proofs that he had conquered death and the grave (Acts 1:3). He repeatedly encouraged them to wait for a precious gift from the Father God (vv. 4–5).
In the Gospel of the Spirit, as the Gospel of John has been called, Jesus had promised at a time when his disciples could not fully understand his words, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” ( John 14:18 NIV). He was to fulfill this promise on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would come to reside in the church.
With Peter, we should hear Jesus saying, “Follow me” (John 21:22 NIV).
With the disciples who were present on the mountaintop, we should hear Jesus giving a divine mandate. He commanded them to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19–20 NIV).
We should hear Jesus make a promise to those who give themselves in obedience to his command. He promised his abiding presence, saying, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20 NIV).
Yes, Jesus Christ is gloriously alive. He is standing at your heart’s door eager to bring God’s blessings into your life (Rev. 3:20). Let him come in. Let him go with you along the pathway of your life. Walk with him as he leads you in meaningful living and significant service. Jesus Christ is alive!
PRAISE GOD!
|
Sunday May 10th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Today is Mother’s day, a day society sets aside to be “nice” to mom….I don’t know why we need a special day to be nice to our mothers….we should be caring and loving every day. Okay, a day when we are extra special to mom, but mothers are special every day not just one Sunday a year because there will be a time when we will wish mom was still here for us to enjoy. I know, my mom is with her heavenly Father, but I still miss her….
And so now, my mother’s day message:
Text: “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you”
(Luke 1:28 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26–35, 46–56
We should look for models to imitate in the Scriptures. Today, on Mother’s Day, let us look at Mary, the mother of our Lord, as a great model of motherhood. Let us discover something about her faith and faithfulness. Let us consider the fruit of her motherhood so that we may identify some factors that contributed to her success as a mother.
Mary was chosen for a mission (Luke 1:28).
Mary became the mother of Jesus by way of a miraculous conception. Jesus was born of a virgin. He had an earthly mother without an earthly father.
Because of his love for us, God chose to become flesh and blood, and to do so, he came as a baby, born by a miraculous virgin conception. But it was not Mary’s virginity alone that qualified her uniquely for becoming Jesus’ mother.
Mary was a devout worshiper of the true God.
Mary was pure in mind and heart and body. Mary was humble, realizing her dependence on God.
Mary was obedient to God’s will.
Mary was willing to do what God had planned for her.
Mary had an attitude of gratitude. She was thankful that God used her to further his work.
Mary was consistent and self-controlled. These are qualities needed by modern mothers as well as by the mother of Jesus.
Mary was chosen to be a model.
Mary was not just chosen for a mission; she was also chosen to be an example for other mothers.
Mary responded positively to God’s plan for her life. Once she knew God’s will, she desired to participate as God had planned.
Mary magnified the Lord in song for his goodness and mercy. God puts a song in the hearts of those who trust him.
Mary worshiped the mighty God of Israel (Luke 1:49). Mary’s God was no weakling. He was the great God, the creator of the universe. He was God on the throne, and she responded to his authority.Mary worshiped the merciful God (Luke 1:50). Humanity needs mercy more than justice. God is eager to forgive and to help the undeserving.
Mary worshiped the helping God (Luke 1:54). God’s love expresses itself in a persistent attitude of goodwill and helpfulness to his people. The psalmist described the God of Israel as “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). Mary felt this assistance from God, and she became a helper to him in his work of helping others.
Mary suffered the pains of motherhood.
Much pain is associated with the birth experience. Even greater pains lie along the pathway of life for some mothers, and Mary endured these pains. The joke in our family centered around me…..I was born on my mother’s birthday, weighed over 10 pounds and was a breech birth….the joke was that even though she endured all that when I was born, she still talked to me.
When Jesus was twelve years old, Mary found it difficult to understand him (Luke 2:49–50). Mary could sympathize with modern mothers of teenagers. Proverbs says to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it…..it says nothing about teenagers.
Later Mary’s other children were indifferent to Jesus’ true identity. They did not accept him to be who and what he really is until after his resurrection.
Mary no doubt felt much pain when Jesus was rejected by the people of his hometown, Nazareth (Luke 4:28–29).
Mary suffered the horrible shame of seeing her Son arrested, falsely accused, convicted, condemned, and crucified. “There stood by the cross of Jesus his mother” (John 19:25).
In no way can we fully comprehend the agony in Mary’s heart during these terrible hours of Jesus’ suffering.
Mary worshiped a risen and ruling Savior.
After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, Mary was present with those who had rejoiced in his victory over death. She was with them as they prayed in anticipation of the Holy Spirit’s coming (Acts 1:14).
Mary is an excellent model for contemporary mothers.
Hers was a life of great faith, made evident by her song called the Magnificat, which was recorded by Luke (1:46–55).
Mary’s heart was in tune with God as she was constantly open to his will.
Her prayer was dialogue rather than monologue.
Mary believed that God’s will was good, and that it was something to desire instead of something merely to undergo.
Mary, as a good role model for mothers everywhere, encourages us to purity, prayer, and participation in God’s will.
Good Friday April 10th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Dear friends, This evening, we would traditionally be celebrating Good Friday. However, as we all are painfully aware, we cannot hold services. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who is in anyway affected by this horrible virus. Our prayers are also for those who are still healthy and well and not ill. I want to personally thank C.Jay for all the hard work he has put in to get our website up and running again and to add all my sermons, etc to the site. This is a labor of love for Christ and he has done a tremendous job. We also want to thank his wife for standing with him while he pulled his hair out (what little he had left) trying to resolve the website's issues. Some feel that this virus will go away quickly.....I personally don't see how unless God intervenes. Rest assured, that as soon as it is safe to do so, we will reopen our doors once again for worship. This all being said, I just want to remind everyone that the manuscripts for the sermons are published on our web page, and there is a message for Good Friday as well. As we reflect on today's events of nearly 2000 years ago, we need to remember that God sent his Son for us. I challenge you to read the crucifixion stories in the gospels (as each one sees it from a different view). I know I have told all of you this before but as I go through my dad's things one of the things that intrigued me the most is that many of the pages of his study Bible looked like they were rained on. Then I remember my dad coming out of his study with tears running down his face (back then I did not realize why) but now I know, those "wet pages" were tear stains. As he read, and re-read those passages, tears would flow. What Christ endured at the hands of humanity is beyond human comprehension, but Christ did it willingly for you and for me! Someone once said, "You can never look on the face of Christ and ever be the same again!" From the great song "How great Thou Art:" "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in, That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin." God bless you all and keep you safe. Pastor Don |
Good Friday April 24th, 2020
Title: Understanding the Cross
Text: “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life”
(Matt. 16:21 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13–24
Our text reveals that the disciples’ recognition of Jesus as the Messiah marked a new departure in Jesus’ teaching. After the disciples realized that Jesus was the Messiah, they needed to know what his true mission was. They needed to understand the cross. They had to put away their dreams of a messiah who would come for Israel alone to overthrow its enemies. It was necessary for the disciples to see Jesus as the sin bearer for all humankind and to know that he was the Messiah who would become the Savior of all humankind by way of the cross.
Did his own nation understand the cross? No, they rebelled against the idea of a messiah on a cross. Did his disciples understand the cross? No. Peter’s reaction to Jesus’ announcement of his coming rejection and death (Matt. 16:22) plainly shows this delusion. Those influenced by Greek philosophers were sure that people belittled God by saying that he could be affected by human actions or pain. Do we understand the cross? No, our understanding falls far short. But we can understand four things.
We can understand Jesus’ acceptance of the cross.
We cannot pinpoint the time when Jesus first knew that following the Father’s will would take him to the cross, but surely he knew at the time of his baptism. Just as baptism pictures a death, burial, and resurrection in our own spiritual experience, so Jesus’ baptism prefigured the cardinal events in his own redemptive ministry—his death, burial, and resurrection.
Certainly Jesus knew God’s plan for a cross when he fought that great battle with Satan in the wilderness. The devil was willing for him to be a messiah, but not God’s Messiah following God’s plan. At the time of this titanic struggle, Jesus had already accepted the cross as God’s way.
At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he knew of the cross and had accepted it. Challenged to show a sign when he first cleansed the temple, he replied, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). John was careful to tell us, “But he spake of the temple of his body” (v. 21).
In Gethsemane when Peter tried to defend his Master with a sword, Jesus asked, “The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11). Here was both the motive and the motto of his entire life. The cross was his choice. “The Son of man must suffer” (Mark 8:31); and the “must” came from God.
We can understand history’s vindication of the cross.
The cross is not simply an event of two thousand years ago; it is a spiritual fact now. We are involved. Jesus’ choice of the cross as God’s way to redeem humankind has been vindicated by human experience throughout the centuries. As the mythical mountain of lodestone was supposed to have magnetic properties so powerful that objects that came near were drawn irresistibly to it, so Christ by his cross exerted a magnetic influence on all succeeding generations. He predicted this effect: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). It is impossible to treat Calvary as just another grim episode in history. No other death has so affected us. There was and is a cosmic aspect to Calvary.
The cross reveals our sin. It reveals the tendencies, the deep-seated conditions within us that cause spiritual death. It makes the Christian gospel intelligible. It is a radical rebellion, settled deeply in human nature, and it called for the most drastic action on God’s part to meet and overcome it.
Not only does the cross reveal our sin, but it also reveals God’s love. At the cross, God meets us in love. Jesus had said in words that God is love, but it was on the cross that these words took fire and burned: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). Every generation finds the cross to be its accuser and its means of salvation.
We can understand God’s victory through the cross.
In earthly terms, the cross is not a sign of God’s majesty and power but an unforgettable reminder of the lengths to which he will go to bring people to him. To God be the glory and victory through the cross.
As great and powerful as symbols can be, the cross was more than a symbol. It was an action. Jesus did something that he alone could do. What did he achieve? He bore the shame of our sin, rebellion, and failure. In the cross, he made available forgiveness, redemption, and release. What he did in that intimate identification with humanity in its sin and sorrow, he still does.
For this reason, we have hope, confidence, and assurance. This divine Christ takes away the sins of the world by his union with every sinner who, by faith, will receive him. Humankind is not deserted. God still ministers to our need. The cross is a victorious, eternal fact.
We can understand our salvation by the cross.
Through the cross, God has given us his earnest concern to save us from sin and death. This is not just one philosophy of life among many others. This is the gospel, the good news.
Although the cross always reminds us of Jesus’ death, the philosophy of the cross is a philosophy of life. The cross is life through death. It is finding a new way of life in rejecting the way of self-trust, self-love, and self-assertion. Our salvation, our peace, our fulfillment of God’s purpose for us begins with our acceptance of him who died for us. Salvation is of God alone. As Paul put it, “All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 5:18). Salvation is not anything we can do; it is what God has done for us through the cross. God will give this gift of salvation to anyone who believes, to anyone who puts trust in the crucified Christ.
As we remember Jesus’ cross, but we must do more than remember. The cross is the most relevant, most contemporary thing in life. All people must come to terms with that cross that stands to accuse them, to welcome their return to God. Have you come to terms with the cross? Will you do it today?
The cross is not just some abstract symbol we wear around our neck or hang on our walls, it is a reminder that Jesus loved us so much he endured the cross and despised the shame to save us from our sins.
Sunday April 5th, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Today, the day we call Palm Sunday is very unusual…it is the first time in the history of the church that Palm Sunday services were ever cancelled. Obviously none of us like this, but this is the safest thing for all of us. It appears that this will be the norm for at least a month. No one wants to get back to church more than I do…but we have to make the best of it.
God bless you all….I will keep all of you in my prayers.
Pastor Don
Sunday Morning, April 5
Title: When Death Brings Life
Text: “‘I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.’ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die” (John 12:32–33 NIV).
Scripture Reading: John 12:20–36
We come today to the last week of Jesus’ life. Today, we call it Palm Sunday but let us look ahead.
Imagine with me, it is Monday, the day after he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on the borrowed donkey. The pilgrims’ excitement about Jesus’ presence in Jerusalem was running high. They had greeted him on Sunday with palm branches, a practice that had first been used when the Jews celebrated the deliverance of the temple and the city of Jerusalem from the Syrians. Through the years the palm branch had come to be used on coins and in the temple feasts as a reminder of that great victory led by the Maccabeans. So when they waved the palm branches before Jesus, it was a symbolic way of encouraging him to conquer the Romans. They wanted him to be a military savior. They cried, “Hosanna!” which meant “Save us now!” or “Deliver us now!” But Jesus did not come on a warrior’s stallion, but on a donkey, to symbolize his mission as a man of peace.
First, let’s consider a strange request coming not from a band of Jesus’ own people, but from a company of Greeks. “Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus’” (John 12:20–21 NIV). We are not certain what prompted the Greeks to seek out Jesus, but it is entirely possible that they had been standing in the court of the Gentiles the day before when, with fiery indignation, Jesus had cleared the court of money changers. And even though these Greeks were proselytes and had embraced the Jewish faith, they were not blind to the bigotry and prejudice of the Jews toward the Gentiles. It is possible that they were inwardly amused, as well as outwardly amazed, at what Jesus did!
Whatever the Greeks’ immediate reason for seeking out Jesus, something about him created a hunger within their hearts, driving them to find him and talk with him. They sought out Philip and said, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Obviously he was confused by the situation, Philip left the Greeks alone until he could check with someone else. He found Andrew, who suggested that they take the matter to Jesus at once.
Not only do we encounter a strange request by the Greeks, but we are faced with an amazing revelation that Jesus gave his disciples. John wrote, “Jesus replied [to Andrew and Philip], ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified’” (John 12:23 NIV). Jesus must have been deeply moved by this request from the Greeks. He saw in their coming the beginning of an innumerable host of Gentiles who would believe in him. But before they could believe in Jesus with a true understanding of his ministry, the crucifixion and resurrection had to take place. But Jesus did not receive the company of Greeks at that time. For he was yet a Christ “in the flesh” who had come first to his own people as King of the Jews. In this role, he was not fully ready to be received by the Gentiles, although certain Gentiles, like the Syro-Phoenician woman and the Roman centurion and others, had received him. But before he turned to the Gentiles as a people, the loneliness and rejection of his own people had to occur. He had to be lifted up on the cross and accepted as a sacrifice for sin and not just as “a son of David.”
Jesus told Andrew and Philip, “The hour has come.” By this he meant the time was at hand when his mission would be infinitely expanded. For in just a few days he would die on a cross and be resurrected on the third day, providing once and for all redemption from sin for anyone who believes in him. Jesus continued by illustrating what he meant by his statement “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Remember that the Greeks wanted to “see” Jesus. They wanted to be introduced to him, to understand him, to discover his mission. But Jesus implied that they could not “see” him or comprehend his mission—not yet! Why? Jesus knew that at this point these Greeks would see him only as a miracle worker, an appealing teacher, and a potential military leader. They were unable to see him in his role as Savior of the world.
Note the figure of speech Jesus used: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheal falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24 NIV). A kernel of wheat is a small husk covering a small piece of grain. A scientist could tell you everything that is inside that tiny kernel of wheat. But while you look at the grain, you cannot see what is inside! Andrew and Philip could have said, “But Lord, we see you! There you stand among us! We agree with Peter; we believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” But just as no one can see what is inside a tiny grain of wheat, so they could not see Jesus in the fullest sense of the word. So what do we do with this grain? We put it in the ground, and it dies, disintegrates. But that is not the end of it! Something else happens. We stand aside, and presently a tiny blade appears, then the stalk, the head, and finally the full head of grain.
Jesus’ message was that no one could truly see him until he died. The power and efficacy of his life would not be released until he experienced death. Jesus’ life was perfect and sinless, but no one is saved by Jesus’ life. He performed many miracles in his daily ministry, but there was no saving power in his ministry. It was simply a demonstration and proof of his deity. It was his death that provided salvation. The company of Greeks could not see Jesus yet, but if they waited awhile, they could see him in a way that they could never have seen him before!
Jesus had said that one cannot find eternal life until first there is a death— his death on the cross. And following this same theme, he applied the principle to those who would follow him (John 12:25–26). Here is a matter of spiritual priorities. Many Christians are completely earthbound, and their chief concern is with this life, its things, those things that are “hands on”.
Then Jesus drove his illustration even closer to home. He said, “Whoever serves me must follow me” (John 12:26 NIV). Where was Jesus going? He was going to the cross. But where beyond that? He would be resurrected in glory and in triumph! The grain of wheat would fall into the ground and die. And through that death, life would spring forth and a harvest would result.
In summary, what was Jesus saying to us? First, he was telling us that true life is released only after a death takes place. While the grain of wheat was preserved in safety and security, it was unfruitful. When it was planted in the ground, it bore fruit. It was by the death of martyrs that the church grew in the ancient past. As an old saying puts it, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Because they died, the church became the living church. Second, Jesus is saying that only by giving our lives away do we retain life. When Joan of Arc knew that her enemies were strong and that her time was short, she prayed to God, “Lord, I shall only last a year; use me as you can.” And finally, Jesus is telling us that only by service comes greatness. At another time, Jesus said, “For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest” (Luke 9:48 NIV).
True life is not realized until you identify with God through Jesus Christ. Then you learn that life is found in giving yourself away so that Christ may be top priority. Hear him say to you, “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”
Remember, our Lord reminded us that man cannot serve two masters. Jesus Christ must be the sole master of our lives but you must let him and make that decision for yourself. The big question is the same one that Jesus asked Peter, “Whom do you say that I am?”
Sunday March 29, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: The Cross and Discipleship
Text: “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it’”
(Matt. 16:24–25 NIV).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:21–27
The word disciple is a rather appealing word to Christians because it brings to mind those twelve men who were chosen by our Lord for a unique task—that of being the first messengers of the good news he came to give the world. Certainly the shepherds on the Judean hills and the wise men who came from afar were “heralds” of the Savior, but they did not have an opportunity to know the very essence of his gospel.
The familiar word discipleship also carries a certain appeal, for we interpret it to be the ideal lifestyle of a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ—a lifetime of following and learning from the Master. Yet, inherent in the word disciple, and hence in discipleship, is the word discipline. We do not find the same appeal in the word discipline because it has negative overtones. Everyone is born with a tendency toward rebellion against authority.
In other words, discipline, the mortal enemy of everyone’s will, saturated the way of life Jesus came to reveal. Many who were confronted with the challenge to follow him could not accept this discipline. As the time for his crucifixion drew nearer, there was an unusual urgency in what Jesus said about the cross and about discipleship.
“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matt. 16:21 NIV). It was as though Jesus had “turned a corner” in teaching his disciples about his approaching death and resurrection. Several times prior to this, he had spoken of the cross by implication. That is, through parables, metaphors, and other figures of speech, he had sought to prepare the disciples for the reality of the crucifixion. But they, typical of the Jewish thinking of that time, had their hearts set on establishing an earthly kingdom then. Their minds were closed to the possibility that Jesus would die and most especially to the thought that he would die on a cross, which was an accursed thing to every Jew.
This was the appropriate time for Jesus to make this clear evaluation of his mission. Peter had just made his marvelous confession of faith (no doubt speaking not only for himself, but for all of the disciples). So with that kind of openness established between Jesus and the disciples, it was time for him to be straightforward concerning what lay ahead. They could understand what Jesus said about suffering, for already they had encountered the hostility of the religious hierarchy. But when Jesus used the word killed, they were terrified! In fact, it was such a horrifying thought that apparently they did not even hear the rest of Jesus’ statement indicating that he would be raised again the third day.
“Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’” (Matt. 16:22 NIV). Was this the same Peter who made that victorious declaration of faith shortly before at Caesarea Philippi? Note how graphically Matthew described what happened: “Peter took him aside. . . .” It was as if Peter stepped up beside Jesus and pulled him to the side as one would take a person who was upset or distressed, and led him away from the crowd. Peter “began to rebuke him.” He admonished Jesus as a schoolteacher would attempt to set straight a student who had become confused about something.
Jesus quickly and positively responded to Peter’s actions. Matthew said that he “turned,” and the Greek tense of the verb used suggests that it was a fast and immediate act on Jesus’ part. “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Matt. 16:23 NIV). Peter was doing the same thing Satan had done when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. He was saying, “Bypass the cross! Take another route! You don’t have to die.” Jesus told Peter, “You are a stumbling block to me.” In other words, “Peter, you are tempting me to offend my Father by failing to do what he has purposed that I do!” Peter spoke the spirit of his age and of ours. The demand for a crossless Christ is still with us today. It is far more appealing to admire his perfect life and praise his beautiful teachings than it is to accept his bloody cross. Many liberal, so-called Christians want to do away with the emphasis of the cross….without the Cross of Christ we would have absolutely no need to worship…we might as well rip out the pews, put in tables and a pizza oven, because without the shed blood and resurrection of Christ we have no hope.
“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it’” (Matt. 16:24–25 NIV). Literally, Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to follow me. . . .” There is no compulsion here. God has so limited himself that he will not force anyone to follow him. Jesus leaves people free to follow him in this intimate relationship or not to follow him at all. Their degree of love for the Lord determines their decision.
Jesus also spoke of self-denial. “Self” loves to be pampered, indulged, and coddled. But the Christian ideal is that when self comes under fire because of its selfishness and insubordination, don’t help it! Let it squirm! When self is tempted to pout and become oversensitive because it considers itself slighted, don’t sympathize with it! When self is withering under the searchlight of God’s truth, let it suffer and let it die!
Jesus drove home this revolutionary truth when he spoke of “taking up the cross.” Again we have the Greek tense, which suggests immediate, decisive action. “Let him take up his cross at once!” This was totally distasteful to Jews in general and even to the disciples. The cross was a Roman instrument of torture and disgrace, an accursed thing; and even to touch a cross rendered a Jew ceremonially unclean. Yet Jesus said that one must voluntarily take up a cross and bear it!
The point is that Jesus was explaining how to deny self—self must be crucified, nailed to the cross. Then he said, “. . . and follow me.” Following Jesus is the inevitable result of “denying self.” It is impossible for one to follow Christ and at the same time drag about a selfish and rebellious self.
“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matt. 16:26 NIV). We are told that Emperor Charlemagne was buried, not dressed in grave clothes and reclining in a casket, but in the robes of state and seated upright on a throne. An open Bible was on his knee, and one of his fingers pointed to the words that spoke for him when he could no longer speak for himself: “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world yet forfeits his soul?” (paraphrase).
What is a person’s soul? It is not something hidden away inside, to be saved by attending church on Sunday while the rest of the person remains worldly and chained to material possessions. What profit is it if a person gains all the world has to offer in order to exalt and pamper self? When self is lost, what can a person give to recover it?
The world offered its rewards to Jesus, but he refused them to do the will of his heavenly Father. The world makes the same offer to us—to appease self and to say, in the words of the popular Sinatra ballad, “I did it my way.” But if we choose to follow Jesus, we must make the same choice Jesus made. We must accept the cross—not for the same reason that He did, but that we might nail self to the cross so we can follow Jesus wherever he leads.
Here is the paradox of it all: To know real joy in the Christian life, we must feel the pain of death. And, sadly, it is not a onetime experience. How wonderful it would be if we could bury self one time and it would stay dead forever! Instead, we must daily nail self to the cross. And every time we do it, we strengthen our inner self, our spiritual self, which must be controlled by the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Sunday March 22, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Text: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” (John 3:14–15 NIV).
Scripture Reading: John 3:1–21
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John 3:1-21 New Living Translation (NLT)
3:1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.
2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.
6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.
7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You[d] must be born again.’
8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things?
11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony.
12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
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*In all the Gospels, no conversation is so carefully recorded in regard to content and detail as the one between our Lord and Nicodemus in John 3.
The reason for this thoroughness is obvious: Jesus was relating to Nicodemus the very essence of the good news. When conveying God’s truth, our words must be clear and understandable, and they must find their way into the hearts of people just as Christ’s words penetrated the heart of Nicodemus.
Christ’s words were so explicit that everyone who has read them in the generations since Nicodemus have found them to be clear signs marking the way to eternal life. Nowhere else in Scripture is there a more concise, easily understood presentation of the new birth. And, as with practically everything Jesus did, across the beauty and symbolism of these words spoken to Nicodemus, there was a shadow of the cross.
First, let’s examine the visitor who came calling on Jesus. Most often in the Gospels, we find Jesus surrounded by ordinary people—the peasants. They did not have to take care lest certain people see them in the company of such a controversial person as Jesus. But Nicodemus was associated with the aristocracy of Jerusalem.
Along with Nicodemus’s social rank, the timing of his visit was also surprising. He visited Jesus after Passover week, the first Passover Jesus had attended since starting his public ministry. Following his cleansing of the temple, Jesus had remained in Jerusalem for a time teaching and healing the people. His name had spread far and wide, and multitudes clamored to hear him, bringing their sick and afflicted for healing. Doubtlessly the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews, was seething with anger and hostility toward Jesus by now.
But because of his popularity with the people, their hands were tied, at least for the moment. It was in this setting that Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, came to Jesus.
We know certain things about Nicodemus that we have learned from this incident and two others involving him that are recorded in the Bible. Obviously, he was wealthy. When Jesus died, John said that Nicodemus brought for Jesus’ body “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy- five pounds” ( John 19:39 NIV).
Only a wealthy person could have afforded that much. Also, Nicodemus was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were considered by the Jews to be the best people in the land. There were never more than six thousand of them, and they had become Pharisees by taking a pledge before three witnesses that they would spend all of their lives observing every detail of the scribal law. So for Nicodemus to be a member of such an august brotherhood, and to wish to talk with Jesus at all, was bewildering.
John records that Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews. This means, as we have already noted, that Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Jews, which had seventy members. Though its powers had been limited under Roman rule, it still played an important role in the government and lives of the people. Specifically, the Sanhedrin had religious jurisdiction over every Jew in the world, not just in Palestine. One of its duties was to examine and deal with anyone suspected of being a blasphemer, a false prophet, or a heretic. And again, it is remarkable that Nicodemus, being a member of this high ruling body, would dare to visit Jesus.
John records that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. We do not know for certain why Nicodemus chose to come at night. It may have been a cautious move on Nicodemus’s part, and he should not be condemned for this. He was a religious leader to whom many looked for spiritual guidance. Since he was an honest and straightforward man, he likely accepted his investigation of Jesus as a tremendous responsibility. He could not afford to enthusiastically endorse every prophet who came along without first investigating carefully.
There may have been another reason for this nighttime visit. Since Jesus was usually surrounded by great crowds of people during the day,
Nicodemus may have come at night so they could be undisturbed. We can sense from the course of the conversation that Nicodemus was troubled. Even though he was an expert in the law of Moses, he was not satisfied with his religion. Something was missing, and something about the authority and manner of Jesus attracted him.
Nicodemus’s opening statement to Jesus revealed his honesty. “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could per- form the signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2 NIV). No flattery was intended here; it was simply a positive statement expressing a conclusion that he had reached. There is also evidence that Nicodemus had not come to Jesus because of hearsay. It is more likely that he had heard Jesus teach and had seen him perform miracles.
Jesus did not rebuke Nicodemus as a Pharisee, nor did he soften the requirements of the new birth for this respected and venerable leader of the Jews. Jesus laid down the same requirements for Nicodemus that he would have for the most openly recognizable sinner! He did not say, “Now, Nicodemus, you are already a good man. You are sincere in what you believe and in what you are trying to do. God will honor these good works you have performed. Just keep on doing them, and God will bless you for it!” If Jesus had said that, Nicodemus would have left with the same dissatisfaction and longing in his heart that he had when he came, for his good works did not bring contentment. Therefore, plainly and to the point, Jesus said, “If you are not born again, Nicodemus, you will never see the kingdom of God!”
A lesser man than Nicodemus would have been offended by Christ’s words. He would have considered them an insult to his intelligence. Instead, Nicodemus pressed on. “How can a man be born when he is old?” Then Jesus talked to him about two births, the physical and the spiritual. Obviously, to exist, one must be “born of the flesh.” But anything that is “flesh” grows old and dies. To be “born of the Spirit,” that is, of God, is to have a new kind of life existing simultaneously with the physical life. Then Jesus shifted the analogy to the wind, of which one can see only the evidence.
Nicodemus had listened to what Jesus said about the necessity of a new birth and about the Spirit, and he was caught up in the wonder and glory of it. Perhaps half to himself and half to Jesus, he asked, “How can this be?” Jesus masterfully turned to the Old Testament Scriptures so familiar to Nicodemus. He told from the book of Numbers an account of God’s judgment that fell on the disobedient Israelites. Fiery, poisonous serpents invaded the camp and bit the people. God told Moses to make a serpent of brass and put it on a pole in the middle of the camp. He was instructed to tell those who had been bitten to look at it, and they would be healed.
The serpent was a despicable thing. It was a reminder of Satan because he appeared in the form of a snake to Eve in the garden of Eden. Jesus explained to Nicodemus that he would be lifted up on an instrument of shame, and he would be considered an accursed thing because of the cross. But because he was willing to submit to that shame, millions of people would be able to come to God! The key to God and eternal life could not be achieved by good works or by keeping rules and abiding by regulations; it would be achieved by a hated and shameful cross on which Jesus would become a sacrifice for sin for the whole human race.
In effect, Jesus said, “Nicodemus, if you will believe in me and believe that I have taken your sins on myself, you will not perish. You will be saved and have eternal life. You will be assured of living forever with God.”
Nicodemus basically exclaimed, “I would like to become a Christian, but I do not understand it!” Jesus said, “You can’t understand the miraculous workings of the Holy Spirit. When you can see and understand the wind— where it comes from and where it is going—then you can understand the Spirit of God.” But just as you can feel the wind, so you can experience the transforming presence of God in your life, if you let Him.
*(adapted from sermon by D. Jenkins
Sunday March 15, 2020 |
Sermon Prepared By: Pastor Donald Magaw
@copyright 2020
Title: Great Crowds Followed Him
Text: “When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him”
(Matt. 8:1 RSV).
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1–2; 7:28–8:1
Matthew 5:1-3 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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The passage of Scripture that falls between Matthew 5:1 and 8:1 is known as the Sermon on the Mount. It is significant that this message was delivered to the crowds that had begun to follow Jesus and that once he had completed this message, the crowds followed him down from the mountain. But the more significant thing is that crowds continue to follow Jesus Christ after two thousand years have rolled by. By the grace of God, we have been chosen to be among the crowds that follow him and listen to him.
What is the secret of this magnetism of the Teacher who spoke these remarkable words? What is it that causes this fellowship of the crowds after two thousand years? Why is it that you and I continue to follow him?
We follow Jesus because of who he is.
Famous celebrities attract a crowd wherever they go. To enjoy any privacy at all, they must conceal their identity and their presence.
Jesus Christ was and is the God-man, the eternal God clothed in a human body. He is the Messiah promised by the prophets, the One for whom Israel had been waiting. God revealed this truth to Peter, and Peter verbalized the conviction of his heart by declaring, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16 RSV). Jesus was more than just a good man and a great teacher. He is God in human flesh. Because of who he is, we continue to follow him.
We follow Jesus because of what he did.
We follow Jesus Christ because of what he did during his earthly life. He ministered to the sick, comforted the grieving, gave hope to the discouraged, and fed the hungry. But his greatest achievements were on a cross and in a tomb. On the cross, he took our place, demonstrating the height and depth and breadth of his love for unworthy sinners. He paid our sin debt by dying as a substitute for each of us. In the tomb, our Lord conquered death and the grave. He demonstrated that death will have no final victory over those who trust him. By conquering death and the grave, Jesus became a living Savior, able to save unto the uttermost those who come to God by him. Because of what Jesus did, we continue to follow him two thousand years later.
We follow Jesus because of what he can do.
We follow Jesus because he is able to forgive our sins and make us clean and acceptable to the Father God, because he can give the gift of eternal life and cause us to love the things that are lovable in God’s eyes, because he gives us a new quality of life, because he gives us victory over the evil within us and the evil that threatens us from without, because he is able to help us be productive and victorious as we live the abundant life he provides. We follow him because it is through him that we can achieve our highest possible manhood and womanhood.
We follow Jesus because we need him.
Children need their parents. A husband needs his wife. A wife needs her husband. We need our friends. We need certain professionals who can provide us with services in times of need. All of us are in need of others. More than anyone else in all of existence, Jesus Christ is the One we need. Thus we follow him. With selfish motives and with the best of interests, we follow him because it pays to serve him.
We follow Jesus because he needs us.
We would not be presumptuous in making such a statement, for it is in the divine plan that God uses men and women to share the good news of his love with others. God could have chosen to use the angels to tell the message of his love, but he didn’t. God could have chosen to use the sky as a great screen on which he could have revealed the message of his love, but he didn’t. We follow him because he needs us. If we do not follow him, the work he began and wishes for us to continue will come to an end.
We follow Jesus because others need him.
People have many needs. They need such things as food, clothing, shelter, education, jobs, medical care, and insurance. But humankind’s greatest need is for a right relationship with God that comes through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We can meet their greatest need when we help them receive the forgiveness of sin and the gift of new life that comes only through Jesus Christ.
The crowds followed Jesus during his earthly ministry, and they have continued to follow him down through the centuries. You and I can rejoice over the privilege of being among the crowds that follow him. If you have not yet begun to follow him, right now would be a good time to forsake the way of life that ends in disappointment and come to him who alone can give you life and hope and peace and joy. Become a true follower of Jesus Christ because of who he is, what he has done, and what he can do in your life.
If you do claim to be a follower of Christ….what are you doing to show it?
If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Only you can answer that question.
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