First Things First 8-28-25 AM

I.            We do it earnestly.

a.      The word earnestly means: with deep and sincere feeling.

           i.      It carries the idea of whatever is being done this way carries great importance.

           ii.      It is nothing half-hearted or with any attitude of neglect.

b.      When you are truly seeking something, it is important to you.

c.       This is similar to what is stated later by Jesus in this same sermon (Matt. 7:7-8).

d.      The word seek gives us a picture of a person in a quest for something:

           i.      A shepherd seeking his lost sheep.

           ii.      A woman tearing apart the house to find her lost coin.

           iii.      A businessman selling all he has to purchase a pearl of great price.

e.      When one truly seeks something in this manner, there is no luck involved.

           i.      You don’t luck up and find the kingdom of God.

           ii.      This kingdom is only found with effort and diligence.

f.        We hear people talk as if it is all up to God.

           i.      If God wants me He will get me.

           ii.      If God wants me to have this He will give it to me.

           iii.      If God…

g.      We have to be seeking the kingdom to find it and to be a part of it.

h.      It takes earnest effort to be find the kingdom, become a part of it, and to remain in it.

II.            We do it continually.

a.      The tense of the word “seek” is that of continual action.

           i.      It is not a one time seeking and then you are done.

           ii.      It indicates a lifetime of seeking God’s kingdom first.

b.      Remember, this is relational with God.

           i.      Do you want a good or bad relationship with God?

           ii.      The goodness or badness of the relationship depends on our effort in seeking the kingdom first.

c.       You and I are to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Pe. 3:18).

d.      Growth is continual and it is involved in seeking the kingdom first.

e.      There is no time, from new birth until death, which we have off from this duty.

           i.      We don’t take breaks or vacations from it.

           ii.      We don’t hit a retirement age where we don’t have to do it any longer.

f.        Our avenues of seeking the kingdom will change.

           i.      We go through different stages of life.

           ii.      Someone has kindly called them different seasons of life.

           iii.      How we seek the kingdom through the changing times of life will differ.

           iv.      But, we still must seek the kingdom first.

g.      In Mark 14, a woman came into Jesus and used some very expensive ointment to anoint Jesus.

           i.      This made some of the people watching mad because they considered this a waste.

           ii.      Do you remember the words of Jesus in her defense?

           iii.      She has done what she could (Mark 14:8).

h.      This is what God expects of us – nothing more, nothing less.

III.            We do it immediately.

a.      I’ve met very few people in my lifetime that don’t believe in Jesus.

b.      Most people I have met also believe in the gospel, at least certain parts.

c.       One writer said that almost everyone believes in the gospel but few believe in the gospel of now.

d.      Satan wants us to delay seeking the kingdom.

           i.      He does not mind if we admire the kingdom.

           ii.      He does not mind if we want to be in the kingdom.

e.      What is keeping you and me from truly seeking the kingdom first?

           i.      Not just playing at it but really seeking it?

           ii.      What is keeping us from living the life God calls us to live?

f.        It’s easy to say when I get through this season of life I will get to it.

           i.      I’ve just gotten my first job and I have to give it my attention.

           ii.      I’m dating this girl and it is really serious and we are probably going to get married and then I will give it my attention.

           iii.      We’ve got children and they keep us so busy but when that slows down I will give it my attention.

           iv.      The kids athletics take up a lot of time but when that is over I will give it my attention.

           v.      I’m getting older and I will leave it to the younger ones.

g.      We need to be seeking the kingdom first immediately, right now because we are not promised any more time.

h.      Think about the example we are setting for our children when we seek everything but the kingdom first.

Hurdles Too High 8-21-25 AM

I.            The presence of singing only in New Testament passages.

a.      Whenever you read about singing when it comes to the worship activity of Christians in the New Testament, singing is what is mentioned.

b.      The word translated singing in Colossians 3:16 is what we know in English as “psallo”.

           i.      This word, in its early usage, was used not only for singing but also for playing an instrument.

           ii.      However, according to those studied in koine Greek, this word was not used for instrumental music in New Testament times.

           iii.      It was strictly used for singing.

           iv.      In fact, the final definition in Strong’s concordance for psallo is “in the NT to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song”.

           v.      Also, another Greek word translated “sing”, which is found in Revelation 15:3 is “ado”, which means to utter words in a melodic pattern.

c.       Nowhere in the New Testament do you see Christians being told to play instruments, only to sing.

d.      An interesting observation is that the translators, beginning with those that translated the KJV, were all members of religious bodies that used instrumental music in worship, however, despite obvious bias, they still translated the Greek “singing and making melody in your heart”.

e.      The Greek experts understood the meaning of the words.

II.            No instruments of music in the early church.

a.      Br. Everett Ferguson has done some extremely scholarly work to show that instrumental music was absent from the early church until many hundreds of years after her establishment.

b.      Br. Ferguson is member of the church of Christ, but his work is so scholarly, it is respected by many who are of very different religious persuasions.

c.       Br. Ferguson wrote, “The historical argument is quite strong against early Christian use of instrumental music in church”.

d.      In a book entitled “Instrumental Music In The Public Worship Of The Church”, written by a Presbyterian named John Girardeau, Mr. Girardeau laid out the case historically of only singing in Christian worship for many centuries and used doctrinal grounds to prove it.

          i.      On pages 95-96 he concluded one argument with this statement: The abolition of the temple worship, so far as it was peculiar to the Jewish dispensation, has now been proved by an appeal to the nature of the case, to the statements of the New Testament Scriptures, and to the awful providence of God; and as it was before incontestably shown that instrumental music was employed in that worship, so far as public religious services of God’s people were concerned, it follows that that kind of music is, with those limitations, abolished, and that its use in the Christian church is contrary to the Word and will of God.”

          ii.      He went on to show the similarity in synagogue worship, not temple worship, to the worship of Christians, and made the point that instrumental worship was not found in synagogue worship at that time and stated, “As, then, the use of instrumental music was unknown in the worship of the synagogue it was not introduced in the Christian church.”

e.      I realize that there is no Bible in this point, but to show it historically is a very valid reason to not use the instrument in worship and simply sing.

III.            How God dealt with acts of unauthorized worship throughout history.

a.      Why did God tell Cain that his worship was not acceptable?

b.      What was wrong with Nadab and Abihu’s worship in Leviticus 10:1-4?

c.       What was wrong with what Jeroboam’s worship in 1 Kings 12?

d.      Since God does not care if we change the worship, why was His reaction so harsh in those instances?

e.      God did seem to care if worship was altered under the Patriarchal and Mosaic systems of worship.

           i.      Do we really think that God would lose His desire for obedience in acts of worship under His Son’s covenant?

           ii.      A covenant that is described as better in Hebrews 8:6.

f.        God has always dealt with departures in worship harshly, so we must believe He would today as well.

IV.            The fact that God draws conclusion using the silence of the scriptures.

a.      Hebrews 7:14.

          i.      Jesus could become a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, but not under the Old Testament rule.

          ii.      The reason is that God had specified only those of the tribe of Levi and of the family of Aaron could be high priests under Old Testament rule.

b.     Nowhere did the Old Testament explicitly say a high priest could not come from another tribe, but it didn’t have to.

c.     What the Old Testament specified in this regard was sufficient.

d.     Notice that this argument is made in the New Testament.

e.      The use of the silence of the scriptures to draw a conclusion in this case shows that using the same method of argument in other cases is valid.

          i.      As we mentioned in the first point, we are only told to sing in the New Testament.

          ii.      The scriptures are silent concerning the use of mechanical instruments of worship, therefore there is no authority for their use.

V.            Authority can and must be determined.

a.      Colossians 3:17 – we must have the authority to do whatever we do and this included worship.

b.      Why do we sing at all?

           i.      Is it just because someone came up with the idea to do that?

           ii.      I’ve never seen that argument made.

c.       The basis for worship comes from the teaching of the New Testament.

d.      Because of that fact, nearly everyone would say there are boundaries to what can and can’t be done in worship.

e.      If there is and must be divine authority for what we do, and rules for worship that are objectively determined, there must be acts that fall outside the bounds of what is authorized.

f.        Where are the boundary markers to be found if not in scripture?

           i.      It becomes completely subjective if they can be established anywhere else.

ii. Only the Lord has the authority to establish bounds and His bounds must be honored.

(From a sermon by Neal Pollard)

More Than Conquerors 8-7-25 AM

I.            The problems we face (Rom. 8:35-36).

a.      In Paul’s day, and especially in the years to come, the gladiator games were extremely popular in the Roman Empire.

            i.      Imagine a gladiator standing in the arena and one of the doors opens.

            ii.      At first, he does not know if he will face another gladiator or angry beasts.

            iii.      He is ready for whatever but could still be surprised.

b.      One of my favorite movies of all time is “Gladiator.”

            i.      There is a scene where the main character Maximus is in the arena fighting another gladiator.

            ii.      Unbeknownst to Maximus, tigers had been held in covered pits and then the coverings were removed while he battled the other gladiator.

            iii.      He had no idea they were going to be there and he had to deal with them as well as the other gladiator.

c.       I mention these things because that is somewhat the picture Paul is painting here.

d.      As Christians, we are in the battle for our lives against a foe who will unleash all he has against us.

e.      The first thing Paul mentions is tribulations.

            i.      This word carries the idea of pressing together or great pressure.

            ii.      In life, we are pressed upon by its burdens.

            iii.      Some are self-imposed by choices we have made.

            iv.      Some are unavoidable because of life itself.

            v.      Remember the words of Jesus (John 16:33).

            vi.      We have to remember that passing through the periods of distress we grow stronger (Jam. 1:2-3).

f.        Paul then was inspired to mention distress.

            i.      Thayer said the word literally means narrowness of place but is used metaphorically to mean extreme affliction.

           ii.      One writer mentioned that this word is most often used to describe mental grief over something more than anything physical.

           iii.      Have you ever been in such a difficult place in life that you didn’t think you could breathe?

           iv.      It may be such a difficult situation that you have no idea how you will get out of it.

           v.      That is generally our first idea when these situations arise.

           vi.      After being able to gather ourselves mentally and spiritually, we realize who we have on our side.

           vii.      We remember that He has told us to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.

g.      Paul moved then to the word persecution.

           i.      This word has the idea of being pursued by enemies.

           ii.      Have you ever had someone make false claims about you?

           iii.      That is nothing new to Christians.

           iv.      Our early brethren were called cannibals, had it said that they were trying to overthrow Roman rule, and also called atheists.

           v.      There are people who will slander us and falsely charge us with things because we are Christians.

           vi.      We must remember that we aren’t the first nor the last that will have to endure this.

           vii.      We must look to Jesus during times like that (1 Pe. 2:21-23).

h.      Paul then moved on to famine.

           i.      In that time, if Rome was against you they could move you like they did the apostle John on the Isle of Patmos.

           ii.      You may not be able to find work to provide for yourself or family.

           iii.      Early Christians who would not worship the emperor were not allowed to work in their trade guild.

           iv.      When this happened, food was scarce.

           v.      The temptation would be to give in to the order to worship the emperor in order to provide for yourself or family.

i.        Paul mentioned another problem that could come with forced poverty – nakedness.

           i.      If you can’t provide for yourself, your clothes will be all you have and they didn’t have closets full of robes back then.

           ii.      The clothing would turn to rags after awhile.

           iii.      As people who strive to be modest to follow the command of God, this would be a terrible indignity.

j.        Paul then spoke of perils.

           i.      This word means danger, risk or hazard.

           ii.      It carried the idea of constant threat of life.

           iii.      This was the lot of Christians in that day.

           iv.      They did not know when an emperor or some leader would decide to punish Christians.

v. 1 Cor. 15:31.

           vi.      Paul mentioned this idea in his listing all the things he endured as an apostle (2 Cor. 11:26).

k.      The last thing Paul mentions is sword.

           i.      It is as if Paul summed up all these things with this one cruel form of punishment.

           ii.      It was often with sword that the will of the emperor was performed.

l.        Paul then summed it all up with a quotation from Psalm 44:22.

m.    As Christians, we should be willing to give our lives for the cause of Christ.

n.      But, being totally honest, not many of us are facing these seven things.

           i.      At least not to the extent Paul and the brethren back then were facing them.

           ii.      It was constant with them but we might get some mean things said to us at times or a door slammed in our face.

o.      The danger we face is far more enticing.

           i.      We have too much stuff calling for us.

           ii.      We have pride in the way.

           iii.      Spurgeon wrote long ago: I fear me that the Christian church is far more likely to lose her integrity in these soft and silken days than when she was in those rough times.

p.      We must be on guard more against ease than against punishment.

II.            The promise made (Rom. 8:37a).

a.      In all these things we are more than conquerors.

b.      How can we be more than a conqueror?

            i.      A conqueror is a winner.

            ii.      A conqueror has overcome the obstacle that was in his way.

c.       One way I see that we are more than is look at those who conquered in the past.

           i.    Every nation that has been victorious has suffered defeat.

           ii.      As great as Egypt was, Egypt was conquered.

           iii.      As great as Assyria was, Assyria was conquered.

           iv.      As great as Babylon was, Babylon was conquered.

           v.      As great as Rome was, Rome was conquered.

           vi.      As great as America has been, we’ve been defeated.

d.      When we depend on physical things, we will be conquered, not matter how strong or mighty we may be.

e.      Our battle is a spiritual battle with God on our side (Rom. 8:31).

f.        The phrase “more than conquerors” is one word in the Greek and Thayer’s says it means to gain a surpassing victory.

g.      In Christ, we have won already, which is the point of the book of Revelation.

           i.      We serve a God that cannot be conquered.

           ii.      We are on the winning side.

h.      We are more than conquerors because God takes our weaknesses and makes them strengths.

           i.      Paul had weaknesses and was used greatly by God.

           ii.      2 Cor. 12:7-9.

i.        God doesn’t need our wisdom, strength, charm, charisma or anything from us but our lives and effort for him.

j.        When we give Him that, we win.

k.      We are more than conquerors also because of our motive for fighting.

           i.      We are fighting for the souls of others.

           ii.      We are fighting to glorify God.

l.        We are more than conquerors because we lose nothing in the fight itself.

           i.     No matter how righteous a cause is, the one who fights loses something in this life.

           ii.      I respect our veterans so much, but they lose something of themselves at war.

           iii.      The Christian is made stronger when tried in the heat of spiritual battle.

           iv.      Even if physical life is lost, we get to go be with God.

m.    In every aspect, when we fight this war, we are more than conquerors.

III.            The power with us (Rom. 8:37b).

a.      Through Him that loved us.

b.      The word through can also be translated by.

c.       We are more than conquerors by Him that loved us, which goes back to verse 35 (Rom. 8:35).

d.      The power to be more than conquerors is from God who loves us so much.

           i.      We can’t comprehend the height, nor depth, nor width of God’s love.

           ii.      If God loves us so much that He will not spare His Son, we can conquer anything while in that love.

e.      Paul closes the section saying there is nothing that will separate us from the love of God.

f.        He lets us know where that love is located: which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

g.      In Christ is the place to find and hold onto God’s love.

           i.      As long as we remain in Christ, we remain in God’s love.

           ii.      God does love all men, but there is a special love for those in His Son.

h.      To be in His Son is to be in His church (Eph. 1:22-23).

i.        This power is not going anywhere.

           i.      We can leave it, but it won’t leave us.

ii. Christ has conquered all things and we are conquerors in Him.

The Greatness Of Melchizedec 8-24-25 PM

I.            Who he was (Hebrews 7:1-3).

a.      What our writer does is summarize what we read in Genesis 14 with some explanation.

b.      We learn that Melchizedec was a king and priest.

           i.      He was the king of Salem which would later be known as Jerusalem.

           ii.      He was a priest of God.

c.      The beginning of Genesis 14 contains an account of the battle of the kings.

           i.      Genesis 14:1-10.

           ii.      Abraham went after his nephew Lot and rescued he and his family and recovered all that the kings had taken.

d.      Upon Abraham’s return, Melchizedec went out to meet and Abraham and bless him.

e.      Abraham then gave a 10th of the spoils to Melchizedek.

f.        We learn that his name means king of righteousness.

g.      We learn that he is the king of peace, the meaning of Salem.

h.      Our writer then gives us some interesting notes:

           i.      He was without father and mother.

           ii.      He had no lineage.

           iii.      He had no beginning or ending of life;

           iv.      He was like the Son of God, abiding a priest continually.

i.        There are some interesting ideas about who this man was:

           i.      Some believe he was an angel;

           ii.      Others believe he was Enoch;

           iii.      While others believe he was Shem.

j.        Because of what is said about him in verse 3, some believe he was a “Christophany”, an appearance of the 2nd person of the Godhead on earth.

k.      The most common view of Melchizedec, and the one I believe, is that he was a type of Christ.

           i.      He is said to be the things in verse 3, not because he had no parents or descendants or lineage, but because none is listed.

           ii.      He is said to have no beginning or ending because neither is revealed to us.

           iii.      If any of these had been revealed to us, it would take away from his foreshadowing the coming Christ.

II.            Melchizedek a type of Christ.

a.      The word "Melchizedek" means "King of righteousness," thus the very name becomes a title of the Lord Jesus Christ.

b.      "King of Salem" means "King of peace," and thus the title of Melchizedek is another appropriate title of our Lord (Isaiah 9:6ff; Psalms 72:7).

c.       Melchizedek was both king and priest, a double dignity not enjoyed by any illustrious Hebrew, not even Moses, and startlingly typical of Jesus Christ who is both king and high priest.

d.      Melchizedek received tithes of Abraham, even as Christ receives gifts of them that love and follow him.

e.      He blessed Abraham; Christ blesses his followers.

f.        Melchizedek's priesthood encompassed service to Gentiles and Jews alike, as witnessed by his reception of Abraham; and Christ likewise is the High Priest of all mankind, having no racial or other limitation.

III.            Melchizedek was greater than Abraham.

a.      Having shown who this man was, the writer now tells his audience how this man was greater than Abraham.

            i.      To a Jew, Abraham was their father and the greatest man who ever lived.

            ii.      For this man to have been greater than Abraham would be hard for any Jew to swallow.

            iii.      The point of this section is to show that this man pointed to Jesus and the greater priesthood than what the Mosaic Law offered.

b.      He had to be great because Abraham paid tithes to him.

            i.      The lesser always paid tithes to the greater.

            ii.      This was a sign of respect given to someone who holds a higher position or rank.

            iii.      As great as Abraham was, he realized he was inferior to Melchizedek.

c.       The Levites took tithes from the people, but this man who did not descend from the Levites took tithes from them through Abraham.

d.      Not only that, this man blessed Abraham and the greater blesses the lesser.

e.      Because Levi was a descendant of Abraham, it is right to say that Levi, in Abraham, tithed to Melchizedek, making him and his priesthood lesser than that of Melchizedek.

f.        Verse 8 is interesting and difficult.

           i.      The men that die are, of course, the Levites.

           ii.      It is debated as to whom the writer is speaking when addressing the one that is living.

1.      Some believe it is a reference to Jesus.

2.      Others believe it is a reference to Melchizedek.

3.      If it is Melchizedek, it is not a problem, because he typified the coming Christ, who is living, so in a sense, either way is a reference to Jesus.

g.      So three things are told us here that show Melchizedek was greater than Abraham: he received tithes from Abraham, he blessed Abraham, and had a greater priesthood than the offspring of Abraham, Levi.

The Lord Is Good 8-24-25 AM

I.            This reveals the personality of God – He is good.

a.      Some have the view that God is looking down trying to find those He can cast into hell.

           i.      There is this idea that God is some kind of sadistic dictator with a great desire to punish us.

           ii.      God is just out to keep us penned in and if we break out at all He just wants to crush us.

b.      Come have the view that God is in heaven and doesn’t take an interest in what is going on down on His creation.

           i.      This is the view of deism.

           ii.      God started things up and is sitting back watching what takes place with amusement.

c.      In the beginning, everything God created is described as good (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31).

           i.      Every part of God’s creation speaks of His goodness.

           ii.      All things were created for our benefit.

           iii.      Even today, when we look at the beauty of what God created, we see His goodness.

           iv.      It was man that messed things up by giving in to temptation and sinning.

d.      Every act of God since that time has been good.

           i.      He destroyed the world because it had gotten so bad during the days of Noah.

           ii.      He chose to bless all the nations through Abraham’s seed.

           iii.      Everything God did was aimed for the good of man.

e.      When we look at the cross, the goodness of God should cry out to us.

           i.      This is truly the greatest evidence of the goodness of God.

           ii.      Rom. 11:22.

f.        When we look at these things and see the personality of God, they all cry out that the God we serve is a God of goodness.

II.            This reveals the protection of God – a stronghold in the day of trouble.

a.      Nineveh considered itself to be a stronghold.

           i.      The walls of Nineveh were 100 feet tall and wide enough for three chariots to ride side by side.

           ii.      It was surrounded by a moat that was 60 feet deep.

           iii.      It was estimated that Nineveh could have withstood a 20 year siege.

b.      Nineveh fell when the Euphrates River overflowed and washed away some of the wall, leaving a gap that the Babylonian-led army could enter.

c.       It used to be that America was viewed as a place of protection for those fleeing from persecution.

d.      The only true refuge of strength and protection is God.

e.      Notice how the Psalmist put it:

           i.      Ps. 31:2-3.

           ii.      Ps. 71:3.

           iii.      Ps. 91:2.

f.        Only in God is there protection.

           i.      John 10:27-30.

           ii.      When God has us, there is nothing that others can do to us that jeopardizes our spiritual safety.

           iii.      We can cast our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Pe. 5:8).

g.      We seek out protection and seek to protect ourselves and families from all manner of things and people.

h.      The only truly perfect place of protection is in God.

III.            This reveals the presence of God – He knows them that trust in Him.

a.      The word translated “knows” means more than just mere intellectual knowledge.

           i.      It indicates an intimate knowledge gained only from being in the presence of that person.

           ii.      It is used by David in 2 Sam. 7:20, after God has said that David’s throne would always have someone on it.

           iii.      God intimately knew David because of the time David spent seeking God.

           iv.      David truly trusted in God and God knew Him.

b.      I’ve often seen interviews where an athlete or some lesser known talent is asked, “Who is the most famous person in your contacts.”

           i.      They would name someone very well known.

           ii.      It was made to be some big deal that this person is known by some big star of Hollywood or the sports world.

c.       What a great privilege it is to say that God knows us.

           i.      2 Tim. 2:19.

           ii.      He knows us so well that He knows the number of hairs on our heads (Lu. 12:7).

d.      He knows us in this way because we have come to trust in Him.

           i.      God has shown Himself to be trustworthy by keeping every promise He has ever made.

           ii.      Our trust in God is never misplaced.

e.      Notice what Paul said about His trust in God in difficult times (2 Cor. 1:9).

           i.      He knew men, including himself, are not fully trustworthy.

           ii.      He placed his trust in the one who is completely trustworthy.

f.        We can trust God with our salvation (1 Tim. 4:10).

g.      We show our trust in God when we obey His word and let His word be the guide for our lives.

           i.      We are taking Him at His word that He will save us, because He said He will.

ii. He is also the God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

The Christian’s View Of Money And Possessions 8-17-25 AM

I.            Some people’s view of money and possessions.

a.      You know as well as I do, people view things differently.

           i.      2 people can have the same thing or see the same thing and have two totally different opinions.

           ii.      Oftentimes, the more people you add to the equation, the more varied ideas there are.

b.      The same thing holds true with money and possessions.

c.       The New Testament reveals to us various ways in which people view their money and possessions.

d.      There are those that believe it is all their own.

           i.      Luke 12:16-19.

           ii.      Notice all the times personal pronouns were used by this man.

1.      “What shall I do?”

2.      “My fruits.”

3.      “My barns.”

4.      “My fruits and my goods.”

5.      “And I will say to my soul...”

           iii.      He believed it was all his and gained all by himself.

           iv.      No credit is given to God anywhere in his words.

           v.      There are those like that today.

1.      My house, my car, my money.

2.      I work hard for my money and I will do with it what I want.

e.      There are those that waste their money and possessions.

           i.      Luke 15:13-14.

           ii.      He had been blessed with a good amount of money.

1.      He had a terrible attitude about money.

2.      He was basically wishing his father was dead so he could go ahead and collect his inheritance.

           iii.      When he got some freedom, he lost it all.

1.      His brother would later say that he wasted it with harlots.

2.      However he used it, he wasted it.

           iv.      How many times have we gotten a little money and it was gone before we knew it?

1.      Many don’t have good money sense.

2.      Others don’t pay attention and, before they realize it, they’ve gone through all that they have.

f.        There are those who let their possessions possess them.

           i.      Mark 10:17-21.

           ii.      This man was very well off.

1.      Not only that, he was an extremely moral man.

2.      He followed the Mosaic Law when it came to his treatment of others.

           iii.      But Jesus knew his problem when it came to being able to be saved was an unholy desire for all of the goods and money he possessed.

           iv.      So many people today get caught up in what they have and have no desire to share it with others or get rid of it to be right with God.

1.      Their goods possess their thoughts.

2.      Just look at reality shows like “Hoarders.”

a.      Those people have problems.

b.      They cannot get rid of anything because they are possessed by their possessions.

g.      Then there are those who just want more.

           i.      Notice the beginning of 1 Timothy 6:9.

           ii.      There are those whose motivating desire is to be rich.

1.      Their number one goal in life is to have a lot of money.

2.      The more the better.

           iii.      It is said of John D. Rockefeller, that when he was asked how much was enough, he said, “Just a little more.”

           iv.      So many people around us, and even in the Lord’s church, are running after wealth as if it is the great cure-all for what ails them.

           v.      There is absolutely nothing sinful about money.

1.      In fact, money is neither good nor bad itself.

2.      Money is a wonderful thing to have and it takes money to live, and it seems like it takes a lot of it.

           vi.      Where we get in trouble is when getting it is our top priority.

           vii.      Those that “will be rich,” as used by Paul, are those whose main action in life is to get and accumulate wealth.

II.            The fate of those who hold one of these views.

a.      The rich man who viewed everything as his and did not acknowledge God was called a fool by God (Luke 12:20).

            i.      Can you imagine God calling you a fool today?

            ii.      Notice verse 21 (Luke 12:21).

1.      This is exactly how God sees us when we fail to acknowledge Him.

2.      His soul was required by God for refusing to see anyone else but Himself.

            iii.      Our fate will be the same as the rich fool.

b.      The prodigal son, who wasted his living, ended up in the pig pen.

            i.      Luke 15:14-17.

            ii.      He ended up with nothing, contemplating eating what the pigs ate.

            iii.      Those who waste what they have, end up with nothing.

            iv.      What happened to the foolish servant in the parable of the talents?

1.      There was a man who was given a large sum of money to do something with.

2.      The others who did what they were supposed to do, upon giving an account, were blessed by the master.

3.      Notice what was said to the one-talent servant (Matthew 25:26).

4.      Then his fate is told us in verses 29-30.

            v.      When we waste what we have, we lose what little we have left and, ultimately will lose our souls.

c.       The rich young ruler went away grieving and lost (Mk. 10:22).

            i.      When the Lord told the young man to sell all that he had and give it to the poor, it wasn’t because he was sinning by having a lot.

            ii.      It was because his possessions were his main priority.

1.      He knew he had a problem.

2.      He knew he lacked something that was keeping him from salvation.

            iii.      Those that are possessed by their possessions never find happiness, only want.

1.      They want a little more.

2.      If you aren’t happy with what you have, you won’t be happy with what you don’t have either.

            iv.      When we trust in our riches and make them our priority, we will be grieving and lost as well.

d.      They that want more, that will be rich, end up hurting and destroyed.

           i.      1 Timothy 6:9-10.

           ii.      There are so many temptations that go along with wealth.

1.      This is why Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven.

2.      Men trust in their wealth and that money won’t get us to heaven.

3.      Several friends attended the viewing of a departed friend who all knew to be very wealthy, but the exact dollar amount was unknown.

a.      As people are wont to do, one of the friends asked, “How much do you think he left?”

b.      A wise friend in the bunch said, “He left all of it.”

           iii.      You and I are going to take nothing physical with us when we die.

           iv.      We will take the effects of what we did with what we had.

           v.      How we use the money and possessions we have will affect where we spend eternity.

III.            The correct view of money and possessions.

a.      You and I are nothing but stewards or our money and possessions.

b.      V.P. Black defined stewardship this way: “that while we live in this world God entrusts into our care certain material things; we use them while we live in this life; we die; we go to the judgment and give an account to God as to how we used them.”

c.      You and I don’t own anything; it all belongs to God.

           i.      Job learned this long ago when God said...(Job 41:11).

           ii.      The Psalmist understood it (Psalm 24:1).

1.      How can it be His?

2.      Keep reading (Psalm 24:2).

           iii.      Notice what David said (1 Chronicles 29:14).

d.      If we could ever fully grasp this concept as Christians, preachers wouldn’t have to preach on giving.

           i.      Elders wouldn’t have to tell missionaries “no.”

           ii.      Worry wouldn’t have to be in the picture when it came to budget planning time.

e.      What would you think about a congregation who oversaw a missionary, and when the missionary, who had gone out to raise funds for himself and had those funds directed to the overseeing congregation, asked for the funds was told, “All you do is ask for money. We aren’t giving you any more of our money?”

           i.      They received that money from other congregations.

           ii.      They were to oversee the funds for the missionary, not use it at their discretion.

           iii.      It was to go for the support of the missionary.

           iv.      We would believe those brethren to be terribly misguided at best and thieves at worst.

f.        Isn’t this what we do to God when we fail to give back liberally to Him that which He has intrusted to us as stewards?

g.      If we would learn and understand that we are stewards, giving on the first day of the week would be viewed as a joy and privilege.

h.      When we have the proper view of our money and possessions, so much good gets accomplished.

           i.      More evangelization would take place.

           ii.      More benevolence would take place.

           iii.      More edification would take place.

           iv.      We wouldn’t be losing our young people at the rapid rate we are.

           v.      Families wouldn’t be torn apart by divorce, of which the leading cause is money problems.

Expect Better Things 8-10-25 PM

I.            The remembrance of God (Hebrews 6:9-10).

a.      The writer now encourages them after admonishing them.

b.      He does so by telling them that he is persuaded of better things for them.

            i.      Those better things are those that accompany salvation.

            ii.      He still called them beloved, despite the path on which some were headed.

            iii.      Despite what he had told them, he still knew they would be saved if they did what he was telling them to do.

c.       The reason for his confidence was the remembrance of God.

           i.      It is interesting that God forgets sin, but remembers good works.

           ii.      The work they had been doing was toward the brethren.

           iii.      No doubt some of them were part of the group we read about in the beginning of the book of Acts.

1.      Those who had all things in common.

2.      The group that took care of one another.

           iv.      This attitude was still present among them.

d.      When we stumble but repent, God does not forget the good works we have done in the past.

           i.      There were times Abraham sinned but God still put his faithfulness on his account.

           ii.      God does not wipe away the good with the bad, only the bad and the good lives on.

e.      This should give us hope and encouragement when we sin, knowing that God will not forget the good when wiping away the sin through our repentance.

II.            We must continue to work (Hebrews 6:11-12).

a.      Paul longed for them not to stop working, which in this case is studying and drawing closer to God.

           i.      He wanted them to give diligence, which is great effort.

           ii.      They needed to study the way that they cared for one another.

b.      We need to realize that being good at something but neglecting effort in other areas is not getting the job done.

           i.      We can’t be good students but neglectful of how we treat others.

           ii.      We can’t treat others well but fail to study.

           iii.      We should strive to be well-rounded Christians, those who are capable of study and growth as well as treating others the way they should be treated.

c.       The Hebrew Christians are then reminded to not be lazy.

           i.      “Slothful” is the same Greek word as “dull” back in 5:11.

           ii.      There is no such thing as a lazy Christian.

d.      The Hebrews writer then tells them to imitate the people of faith who have gone on before them.

           i.      This is another instance of the writer mentioning something to which he will come back later.

           ii.      These people were faithful and enduring.

           iii.      This allowed them to inherit the promises of God.

e.      Only by developing the virtues of diligence, faith, and patience can we rightfully have an assurance that we will one day "inherit the promises".

f.        Without them, we become sluggish, and as such expose ourselves to the danger of apostasy.

III.            God keeps His promises (Hebrews 6:13-20).

a.      God made a promise and swore an oath to Abraham.

b.      What God promised was that He would bless Abraham and multiply His seed (Genesis 12:1-3).

            i.      Abraham patiently endured the time that passed until Isaac was born.

            ii.      This is an illustration of what the writer called for in verse 12.

c.       Because God knew that men needed an oath to make things so in their minds, God confirmed His promise with an oath.

d.      God gave two unchangeable things, His promise and His oath, and we know it is impossible for God to lie.

e.      Robert Milligan made the statement that God made doubly sure as we occasionally say.

f.        Again, these things ought to give us great hope and an expectation of better things.

           i.      God has made us promises, just as He made Abraham and other Old Testament men and women.

           ii.      God kept every promise He made to them and we should be assured that He will keep the promises made to us.

g.      We who have run to God for hope should be strongly consoled in how God dealt with Abraham.

h.      We have hope that anchors us to God.

           i.      This hope is sure and stedfast.

           ii.      It goes all the way to heaven.

i.        It goes to heaven because that is where the Lord is, who is now a high priest in the same manner Melchisedec was.

When My Heart Is Guilty 8-10-25 AM

I.            The cry of confession (Psalm 51:1-6).

a.      He begins this psalm requesting mercy that goes along with the lovingkindness of God.

b.      He requests to be washed from his sin.

c.       The reason for these two requests are found in verse three.

            i.      He opens up that he has sinned.

            ii.      It is a constant part of his life and he can’t get away from it.

d.      We don’t know how much time had passed between taking in Bathsheba and Nathan’s visit.

            i.      It does seem like some time had passed.

            ii.      We know the result of this was that the child born because of the sinful relationship would die and we read this in 2 Sam. 12:15.

e.      David had lived with his sinful actions for some time, possibly over a year.

f.        This passage seems to tell us that it had gnawed at him but he had never done anything about it.

            i.      He thought he had gotten away with it.

            ii.      After all, no one except Joab knew David had Uriah killed and even Joab didn’t know why David wanted him dead.

           iii.      No one but Bathsheba and David knew about their fornication.

g.      Though he thought he had gotten away with it, David being a man after God’s own heart still knew he was guilty.

           i.      We don’t know the backstory of Psalm 6 but it is also a penitential psalm.

           ii.      Notice Ps. 6:6.

           iii.      Something David had done was bothering him greatly.

h.      Now that David is confronted, David can get the weight of his guilt off of his shoulders.

           i.      It is sad it took Nathan taking his own life in his hands and boldly confronting David.

           ii.      David could have had him killed.

           iii.      If David had acknowledged the sin and confessed it to God on his own, the child may have lived.

i.        But now David cries out that he is confessing his sin.

j.        David states that his sin is against God only.

           i.      David had sinned against himself (1 Cor. 6:18).

           ii.      David had sinned against Bathsheba.

           iii.      David had sinned against Uriah.

           iv.      David had sinned against Israel.

           v.      David had sinned against his wives.

           vi.      David understood though, that all sin is first and foremost against God.

k.      David then acknowledges that any punishment God would hand him would be justified.

l.        His sin has affected him so much that he says its been with him since birth it seems.

           i.      Psalm 51:5 does not teach inherited sin.

           ii.      David isn’t saying this sin he committed was Adam’s fault.

           iii.      He’s saying I’ve been messing up since birth it seems.

           iv.      Haven’t you felt that way before God?

           v.      We’ve made a mess of things so often that when we go to God it feels like we were just in this same place a little while ago.

           vi.      David is simply saying his life has been full of times like this and he again needs God’s great mercy.

m.    David understood that this confession is not just an external act, it has to come from deep within him.

n.      The truth is, our guilt will never go away until we confess our sin to God.

o.      This is one of the first things one has to do in studying with non-Christians.

           i.      We have to get them to see their guilt.

           ii.      We have to get them to understand that all have sinned and they are a part of all.

           iii.      They have to come to terms that they are sinners in need of forgiveness.

p.      For us as Christians, we have to remember that we still sin from time to time and we need the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7).

q.      Until we truly, sorrowfully confess whatever sin it is we’ve committed, our hearts are going to hold on to that guilt.

II.            The call for cleansing (Ps. 51:7-12).

a.      Notice that David never thought he could cleanse himself – His plea is directly to God.

b.      David calls for a spiritual cleansing by referencing the sacrifices offered at the tabernacle.

           i.      Hyssop was the fibers used to apply the blood of the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:22).

           ii.      It was used to sprinkle purifying water (Num. 19:18).

c.       David asks to be washed.

           i.      This idea of washed is not an outward cleansing only.

           ii.      The Hebrew word is associated with the idea of fuller making something clean.

           iii.      A fuller would fully scrub harshly garments that needed cleansing.

           iv.      David knew that if God would do this then he would be completely free of the sin.

d.      David has not been joyful because he has been bearing this guilt.

e.      He knows God would cleanse him and restore his heart.

f.        David begs God not to cast him away but to restore the joy of life he had when he was in a right relationship with God.

g.      This all only will come when the sin he had committed was atoned for and the guilt removed.

h.      One problem we often have with confession is holding on to the shame of the act that we have confessed.

           i.      It is almost like we don’t believe God will truly forgive us of what we have done.

           ii.      We must have faith that God will remove and forget that sin or we will always struggle with guilt.

           iii.      We must come to realize that God truly does totally remove our sin (Ps. 103:12).

i.        We can wallow in our guilt and shame, or we can bring it to God and ask Him to cleanse us of our sin.

j.        If we want the weight of our sin, that guilt and shame we bear, to be gone, we have to ask God to cleanse us with the blood of Christ (Rev. 1:5).

III.            The commitment after cleansing (Ps. 51:13-17).

a.      David asked God to renew a right, or steadfast, spirit in him, which means the will to stay cleansed.

b.      David would need that type attitude or spirit in order to keep the commitment he is now going to make.

c.       I will teach sinners of your ways.

           i.      He knew while he was in sin he could not properly teach someone about God’s will for him or her.

           ii.      He couldn’t set the example before his family and all Israel that he needed to set.

d.      I will worship you.

           i.      He knew he could not show himself to God while in sin.

           ii.      He could not properly worship God while this guilt was weighing him down.

e.      God demanded sacrifices to be made but those were to get people to understand the weight of sin.

f.        What God really wanted was the heart of the one offering the sacrifice.

g.      This is true today when it comes to our worship to God.

           i.      We can sing all the right songs, use all the right prayer language, give a bunch of money, amen the preacher, and shed tears during the Lord’s Supper and be lost.

           ii.      If there is unconfessed sin, unrepented of sin, in our lives and we worship God externally as much as we can, we are lost.

h.      God wants our hearts and when He truly has them, our worship will flow out of love and gratitude.

i.        When we are truly guilt-free because of our confession of sin, we will be committed to working for and worshiping properly our great, forgiving God.

j.        Then, we will be able to pray for others to enjoy the same guilt-free life we are enjoying.

           i.      David then prays for Jerusalem and the people of God.

           ii.      If they would experience what he has experienced they could truly worship God as he now could.

k.      When we have that joy of our salvation restored, our guilt removed, we want other people to experience that.

           i.      We want our brothers and sisters in Christ who may be struggling with guilt to be made whole.

           ii.      We want those outside of Christ to experience the forgiveness of God and the cleansing of the blood of Christ.

The Age Of The Earth 8-3-25 AM

I.            The Gap Theory.

a.      Listen to Genesis 1:1-3.

b.      What the Gap Theory, which is not really a theory but a false idea, says is that there is at least one gap of time in these two verses, if not multiple gaps of time, that allow for there to be billions of years for evolution to take place.

c.       If you are like me, you are asking where is the gap?

d.      Those that say there is a gap say it is between verses 2 and 3.

          i.      The idea is that God created the heaven and the earth and that it was without form and void.

          ii.      The word “was” is important because they say that means the earth became without form and void or had become without form and void.

          iii.      This means that God had to recreate the earth.

          iv.      One writer stated, “It is the mistranslation of this word which has, perhaps, added more to the ranks of the gap theorists than any other factor.”

e.      They also go to Genesis 2:4 and say created and made mean two different things.

          i.      Created means created in the Hebrew.

          ii.      Made means recreated in the Hebrew.

          iii.      This is simply Hebrew parallelism, where one thing is stated two different ways.

          iv.      The heavens and earth were created; the Lord made the earth and heavens.

          v.      These two words, along with about eleven other words for creation, in Hebrew are used interchangeably.

f.        This last part of saying these two words mean different things is the most easily refuted aspect of this false idea.

          i.      Notice 1 Chr. 16:26 – made is the word here used to describe creation, and no one ever thinks this verse means a recreation.

         ii.      Neh. 9:6 – God created heaven, which in this verse means the realm of God, He did not recreate it.

         iii.      Ps. 33:6 – God did not recreate the heavens and no commentator has ever tried to say that is what this verse means.

g.      One of our own brethren, a man named John Clayton, went around teaching this for a number of years and may still be doing so.

h.      The truth is there is no gap or even room for a gap in Genesis 1.

i.        God created the heavens and earth on the first day.

         i.      The rest of the text no longer concerns itself with the heavens.

         ii.      It moves to the earth being without form and void.

         iii.      The earth, on day one, was unmolded by the creative hand of God.

         iv.      The succeeding days show how God molded and created this world into what was present while man was in the Garden of Eden up until the day the flood came.

j.        There is nothing in the text of Genesis 1:1-3 or 2:4 that demand a gap of time.

         i.      In fact, if there was a needed gap to be shown, there was a multitude of ways the Holy Spirit could have inspired Moses to write using Hebrew.

         ii.      When reading the account of Joseph there are three times we read of a gap of time and they are shown by the phrase “After these things” (Gen. 39:7; 40:1; 48:1).

          iii.      If a very long time was needed, the Hebrew phrase “many days” could have been used (found 38 times in the Old Testament).

           iv.      Neither of these phrases occurs in Genesis 1.

k.      Listen to this statement made by an Apologetics Press writer: So we are left to trust the Gap theorists that they are qualified to speak where the Bible is silent, and to understand in the Hebrew what no Hebrew scholars actually affirm, and what no qualified translators have ever put forth.

l.        So I conclude the Gap Theory is false.

II.            The Day-Age Theory.

a.      This idea about the age of the earth is much more popular than the Gap Theory among those who profess to be Christians.

b.      What this false idea asserts is that the days of creation were not literal 24 hour periods.

c.       Instead, each day was really long eons of time allowing for evolution to occur.

d.      There are basically two groups of people who believe this:

           i.      Those who completely accept organic evolution but do believe in God – we call them theistic evolutionists.

           ii.      Those who profess to believe in the Bible and don’t believe in organic evolution but do accept the commonly believed dating methods that say the earth is old – they believe God created the earth but did so progressively allowing geologic time for it to take place.

e.      We all know there are different ways to view the word day.

           i.      It can mean a literal 24 hour period.

           ii.      It can mean just the time when the sun is out – daytime.

           iii.      We also can use it to mean a period of time – back in my day.

f.        Listen to this paragraph that Eric Lyons wrote showing all the uses in one place: In Abraham’s day, God made a covenant with the righteous patriarch and his descendants, saying: “Every male child among you shall be circumcised…He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised” (Genesis 17:10, 12). As long as it was day eight, it may not have mattered if Abraham and his descendants circumcised their young males during the day or night. In Moses’ day, even if day eight fell on the seventh day (the Sabbath day), the Israelites were expected to circumcise their male children on this day, “so that the law of Moses should not be broken” (John 7:23).

g.      One of the passages that those who hold to this run to for support is 2 Pe. 3:8.

           i.      They say this verse means time means nothing to God.

           ii.      I was in a Bible class where this happened.

           iii.      All this means is that God does not need the time we might think He needs to do something.

h.      One of the main problems with this false idea is that it limits the ability of God to properly communicate.

           i.      If God wanted to tell us He created all things over vast spans of time, could He have not done that?

           ii.      If God wanted to tell us He created all things in six days, how else would He have done it?        

i.        The context of Genesis 1 demands that these be literal 24 hour days.

           i.      Notice Genesis 1:5 – the morning and evening.

           ii.      Notice Genesis 1:14 – if days are ages, what are years, or what is a night?

           iii.      One writer said, “If the word day in this chapter does not mean a period of 24 hours, the interpretation of scripture is hopeless.”

j.        Exodus 20:11 makes no sense if the days of Genesis 1 are not 24 hour days.

k.      If days are really long ages, you have plants created in the 3rd long age not getting any sunlight until the 4th long age.

           i.      They would be lasting for millions of years with no sunlight.

           ii.      Not only that but the animals and insects were not created until days 5 and 6 and certain plants need insects for pollination to occur.

l.        Plain passages of scripture show that the days of creation were literal 24 hour days:

           i.      Exodus 20:11; 31:17.

           ii.      Psalm 33:9; 148:5.

m.    But listen also to what Jesus has said (Mk. 10:6).

           i.      If this idea of the Day-Age Theory is true, man has not shown up until the last few hundred thousand years.

           ii.      Jesus said God made male and female from the beginning of the creation.

           iii.      Either evolution is true and Jesus is false or Jesus is true and evolution is false.

n.      Notice also Romans 1:20.

           i.      Man has been perceiving creation since the beginning.

           ii.      Man had to be here in the beginning in order to perceive that.

o.      It is not feasible to fit millions and millions of years into Genesis 1.

III.            The earth is young.

a.      The Bible clearly teaches a young earth.

b.      One has to believe in the Bible and its inspiration first.

           i.      The Bible claims to be from God (2 Tim. 3:16).

           ii.      The writers claim inspiration (2 Sam. 23:2).

c.       If it is such, which I believe it to be; it is going to be accurate about all things that are discussed in it.

           i.      It is right about history though not a history book.

           ii.      It is right about geography though not a geography textbook.

           iii.      It is right about science thought not a science book.

d.      So, when the Bible discusses things about the age of the earth it is accurate as well.

e.      The genealogies of Genesis 5, 10, and 11 all indicate that there was between 2,000 and 4,000 years between Abraham and creation.

           i.      History and scripture show there were about 2,000 years between Abraham and Jesus.

           ii.      Jesus lived roughly 2,000 years ago.

           iii.      These all go to show that the earth and the universe are fewer than 10,000 years old.

f.        Moses said that all things were created in 6 days (Ex. 20:11).

g.      When you read Romans 1:18-32 you see that God’s attributes have been clearly seen by man since “the creation of the world.”

h.      Notice Luke 11:50-51.

           i.      Jesus said the shedding of Abel’s blood occurred at the foundation of the world.

           ii.      According to the Big Bang idea, 99.96% of the earth’s existence took place before humans arrived.

           iii.      Either Jesus is wrong or the Big Bang is wrong.

i.        Human population statistics show that the earth is young.

           i.      If humans have been on the earth one million years, factoring in wars, disease and famine, there should be 10 to the 2000 place people on the planet today.

           ii.      There is not even 10 to the 10 place humans on the planet.

           iii.      To have what should be here, we would need 10 to the 200 place more universes the same size as ours to have that should be here according to evolution.

          iv.      However, if you base your calculations off the biblical model things are different.

          v.      If you assume the flood was roughly 4,500 years ago then you have all humanity coming from Noah’s 3 sons and their wives.

           vi.      Statistics show that there would be roughly 6.7 to 8.1 billion people on earth now.

           vii.      The US Census Bureau documents that the world’s population is no at 7.9 billion people.

j.        Carbon-14 dating suggests a young earth.

            i.      Right now, it takes 5,730 years for half of this element to break down into nitrogen-14 in wood or bone.

            ii.      After 57,300 years all the measurable Carbon-14 is gone.

            iii.      If Carbon-14 is detected in an uncontaminated specimen, the specimen cannot be older than 100,000.

            iv.      All the fossils that have been checked still contain Carbon-14.

            v.      It’s been found in wood dating to the Cenozoic era, which is believed to be up to 65 million years ago.

            vi.      Coal from the Paleozoic era, which is believed to be 40-320 million years ago.

            vii.      What this tells us is that the fossil record is not a record of life through time, but a record of death during the flood just a few thousand years ago.

k.      The fact that soft tissue/blood vessels in dinosaur fossils have been found show a young earth.

            i.      It is believed that dinosaurs became extinct anywhere from 65 to 200 million years ago.

            ii.      There is no conceivable way flesh could survive that long.

            iii.      Many fossils have been cracked open and studied only to find collagen and blood vessels with red blood cells intact, original proteins, and soft, stretchy, flexible tissue.

            iv.      Multiple species have been found this way.

            v.      Evolutionists have not come up with a reasonable explanation for this.

l.        There is plenty of reason to believe, even scientifically in a young earth.

(Some of this material came from Apologeticspress.com and from VBS material produced by Apologetics Press)

Carest Thou Not That We Perish? 7-20-25 AM

 I.            Jesus cared enough to leave heaven.

a.      Could you imagine what it would be like to be in heaven?

b.      I am sure when we get to heaven we would never want to leave.

c.       However, Jesus willingly gave that up to come to earth.

           i.      Php. 2:5-8.

           ii.      ASV says, “Who existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped” (vs 6).

d.      Not only did Jesus give up heaven, He was so willing to come that He gave up being on an equal basis with God.

           i.      The word “equal” means equal in quantity and quality.

           ii.      There was no hint of selfishness in the Lord.

e.      Not only that, vs 7 tells us He emptied Himself (ASV).

           i.      He did not empty Himself of deity.

           ii.      He limited Himself by placing Himself under subjection to mere humans, the law of Moses and even to death.

f.        Lying at your feet is your dog. Imagine, for the moment, that your dog and every dog is in deep distress. Some of us love dogs very much. If it would help all the dogs in the world to become like men, would you be willing to become a dog? Would you put down your human nature, leave your loved ones, your job, hobbies, your art and literature and music, and choose instead of the intimate communion with your beloved, the poor substitute of looking into the beloved's face and wagging your tail, unable to smile or speak? Christ by becoming man limited the thing which to Him was the most precious thing in the world; his unhampered, unhindered communion with the Father. C.S. Lewis

g.      Surely we can see Jesus cares when we see what He gave up to come to this earth.

II.            Jesus cared enough to teach us how to live.

a.      When you think of what Jesus taught, He changed world.

b.      Jesus taught man how to live.

           i.      If every person followed His rules of conduct the world would be a better place.

           ii.      Even if there was no hope of heaven, the Christian life is the best life there is.

c.       His teaching was revolutionary.

           i.      Just following the Golden Rule would make the world a better place.

           ii.      Just loving our neighbor as our self would make the world a better place.

d.      The teaching that Jesus left us is enough to show He cares for us.

III.            Jesus cared enough to lose His life.

a.      Rom. 5:6-8.

b.      Php. 2:8 - even the death of the cross.

c.       There should be no doubt that Jesus cares since He was willing to go through all of this for us.

IV.            Jesus cared enough to be resurrected.

a.      1 Cor. 15 tells us why it was important for Him to be resurrected.

b.      Verses 13-20.

c.     There would be no hope for mankind without the resurrection.

d.     Notice this quote: Well over three hundred verses are concerned with the subject of Jesus' resurrection in the New Testament. We are told that this event is a sign for unbelievers (Mat 12:38-40); cf. Jo 20:24-29) as well as the answer for the believer's doubt (Lu 24:38-43). It serves as the guarantee that Jesus' teachings are true (Ac 2:22-24; 1 Cor 15:12-20) and is the center of the gospel itself (Ro 4:24-25, 10:9; 1 Co 15:1-4). Further, the resurrection is the impetus for evangelism (Matt. 28:18-20; Ac 10:39-43), the key indication of the believer's daily power to live the Christian life (Rom. 6:4-14, 8:9-11; Phil. 3:10) and the reason for the total commitment of our lives (Rom. 7:4; 1 Cor. 15:57-58). The resurrection even addresses the fear of death (Jo 11:25; 1 Cor. 15:54-58; cf. He 2:14-15) and is related to the second coming of Jesus (Acts 1:11; Rev 1:7). Lastly, this event is a model of the Christian's resurrection from the dead (Acts 4:2; 1 Cor. 6:14; 1 Th 4:13-18) and provides a foretaste of heaven for the believer (Php.3:20-21; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

e.      By doing something that means this much for us, it should show us Jesus truly cares.

V.            Jesus cared enough to ascend on high.

a.      His ascension into heaven means that He is reigning over His kingdom (1 Cor. 15:24-25).

b.      Another purpose of His ascension is to prepare a place for His faithful followers (Jo 14:1-3).

c.       By His doing this, we should know He truly cares.

VI.            Jesus cares enough to continually watch over us.

a.      Heb. 13:5.

b.      This allows us to not be afraid (Heb. 13:6).

c.       He wants us to cast our cares on Him because He still cares about us (1 Pe. 5:7).

d.      Jesus is our Advocate (1 John 2:1).

e. He still provides the strength that we need (Php. 4:13).

Implications Of Immaturity 7-6-25 PM

I.            We tie ourselves to old teaching (Hebrews 6:1-3).

a.      As we look at this text, we need to remember that it is tied to the previous chapter.

                         i.      Chapter 5 deals with Jesus being the Great High Priest.

1.      He is the Author of eternal salvation.

2.      He is a high priest in a similar manner to Melchisedec.

                        ii.      But, for their lazy hearing, they were headed back towards Judaism.

b.      They did not understand that things in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus, which is why he could not talk to them right then about the comparison of Melchisedec to Jesus.

c.       The writer, when we come to chapter 6, challenges them to go towards maturity in Christ.

d.      He tells them they need to leave the beginnings of Christ.

                        i.      The word “leaving” means to separate from or send away.

1.      Jesus sent away the multitudes (Matthew 13:36).

2.      This word is used in 1 Corinthians 7:11-13 to talk about the sending away of a spouse.

                      ii.      Very good lexicon writers define it as “abandon”.

1.      It is used in Romans 1:27 to describe the homosexuals that abandoned the natural use of the woman.

2.      It is used in Revelation 2:4 of the Ephesians who had left, or abandoned, their first love.

                     iii.      We need to understand that the writer is not telling them to leave, or abandon, the beginnings, which is the meaning of the word translated “principles”, the teaching of Jesus.

                     iv.      The beginning of Jesus, or the Christ, is in the many Old Testament passages that point to His coming into this world.

e.      What our writer is telling these brethren, is that they need to leave, abandon, the ties they have to the Old Testament.

                       i.      This is something many in the Lord’s church battle when it comes to denominational baggage they bring in from their conversion.

                     ii.      Those ties to the denominational teachings need to be abandoned.

                    iii.      When we fail to grow, or mature, we end up going back to those teachings because it is that with which we are most familiar.

f.        The writer then tells them to press on to perfection.

                      i.      This word is only used once in the book of Hebrews, but the verb form is used several times.

                     ii.      Hebrews 7:11, 19; 9:9; 10:1, 14; 11:40; 12:2.

                   iii.      Each of those show either the imperfection of Judaism or the perfection of Christianity.

g.      In other words, the writer, by inspiration is challenging them to abandon all ties to Judaism and march towards completion in Christ.

                     i.      We need to sever all ties with denominational teachings or worldliness as we mature in Christ.

                    ii.      If not, we will be tied down and unable to grow.

h.      The writer then mentions six doctrines they need to abandon.

                     i.      Again, he is not telling them to abandon doctrines of Christianity.

                   ii.      These six doctrines are doctrines that were found in Judaism, not Christianity.

                  iii.      Remember, he is telling them to abandon the beginning of Christ, or the Old Testament.

                  iv.      All six of these are found in the Old Testament and need to be viewed as such, and some pertain only to the Old Testament.

i.        Repentance from dead works.

                    i.      The writer did not say repentance from sin, which is necessary for conversion to Christ.

                   ii.      These refer to practices of the Old Law, while saying one is part of Christ.

                  iii.      Romans 7:6 and Hebrews 9:14 refer to the Old Law as dead.

                  iv.      Going back to that and laying a foundation of works of Judaism needed to be abandoned.

j.        Faith towards God.

                     i.      Jews believed in God and always been taught about God.

                    ii.      They needed to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, the Author of eternal salvation, and their Great High Priest.

                  iii.      Faith towards God was a characteristic of the Old Law and a foundational element of Judaism.

k.      The doctrine of baptisms.

                     i.      The word baptisms is translated in newer versions as washings.

                   ii.      There were numerous washings in the Levitical system.

                 iii.      The various offerings had to be washed.

                 iv.      Sometimes bodies had to be washed.

                  v.      One could not enter the tabernacle or temple without washing.

                 vi.      In fact, the word translated baptisms is not from the same Greek word commonly translated baptism.

                vii.      In every other instance it is translated washing and should be here as well.

l.        Laying on of hands.

                 i.      There is much written about laying on of hands in the New Testament.

                ii.      However, there is also a lot of instances mentioned in the Old Law of laying on of hands.

               iii.      Priests laid hands on sacrifices, those offering sacrifices had to lay their hands on the sacrifice they offered.

               iv.      All the people had to lay their hands on the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement.

                v.      Remember the context of this passage: Jesus as the Great High Priest.

              vi.      Don’t lay again the foundation of laying on of hands from the Old Law.

m.    The last two, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment, are both found often in the Old Testament.

                i.      Judaism was the only religion to teach these things, up until Christianity.

               ii.      They were foundational elements of Judaism and the teaching of the Old Law was to be abandoned because both of these are fully explained in the New Law.

n.      Verse 3 simply says that this will happen if they depend on doing God’s will and not their own.

o.      We must mature in Christ so that we are not tied down to old teaching that would hinders our understanding of the gospel.

II.            We turn from salvation (Hebrews 6:4-6).

a.      There are two words in this section that cause problems for people.

b.      The first word is impossible.

                 i.      If you believe in the possibility of falling away, how can you believe it is impossible to renew that one who has fallen away?

               ii.      Some try to soften it and make it mean just difficult.

              iii.      Some believe it means God thru the Holy Spirit can do it but you and I can’t.

              iv.      Some have said it means after baptism there is no bringing back.

c.       The other word is “if” in verse 6.

                i.      The problem here is “if” is not in the Greek.

               ii.      The ASV renders it better and accurately with “and then fall away”.

              iii.      The NASV says, “and then have fallen away”.

              iv.      The problem is that all the blessings he mentions match up in the Greek with the falling away.

               v.      They all read “having”.

             vi.      In other words, you have had all these things and now you have fallen away.

            vii.      The “if” was put there because of Calvinistic bias.

d.      Now, for the text itself.

e.      Notice these great blessings:

              i.      They had been enlightened by the light of the gospel.

             ii.      They had tasted the sweet taste of salvation.

            iii.      They were given miraculous gifts from the Holy Spirit.

            iv.      They were followers of the good word of God.

             v.      They had been blessed by the powers of God more fully seen in the world to come.

f.        One who has done all those things or received those blessings has been saved.

g.      The one who falls away from those blessings and goes back into Judaism, which is the context of this passage and book, cannot be saved by such.

             i.      It was and is impossible for Judaism to save him or her.

            ii.      There is only salvation in Christ, not Judaism.

h.      Those that associated with Judaism could continually crucify the Christ and put Him to an open shame in one of two ways:

             i.      By offering sacrifices that typified the Christ;

            ii.      By uniting with a people who were against the Christ.

i.        What does that mean for us today?

              i.      If we have obeyed the gospel and then leave it for something we came out of, we can’t find salvation there.

            ii.      That is why we left it in the first place.

           iii.      We can’t find salvation in worldliness or denominationalism.

III.            We face destruction (Hebrews 6:7-8).

a.      The writer closes this section with an illustration from gardening or horticulture.

b.      God waters the ground and the earth drinks it in and produces either herbs or thorns and briars.

            i.      The gospel goes out and it produces Christians or it turns people from God, depending on their reception or rejection of it.

           ii.      These are the only two results.

c.       Where the earth produces herbs there is a blessing.

d.      In fields that produce thorns and briars there is a burning.

e.      The illustration is simple:

            i.      Those that follow the Christ, the Great High Priest, will flourish and enjoy salvation for all eternity.

           ii.      Those that reject the Christ, the Great High Priest, will be burned in eternity in hell.

The Better Way 7-6-25 AM

I.            The purpose of love (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

a.      Paul finished the point he was making, recorded in chapter 12, about the oneness of the body and the necessity of all gifts, by saying there was a greater way of living as a Christian.

b.     The purpose of living the way of love is that it makes one godly.

          i.      God is love (1 John 4:8).

         ii.      We are called to love like God loves (1 John 4:16).

        iii.      Love is shown to God by keeping His commandments (1 John 5:3).

c.      When a Christian is living the agape love life God wants us to live, we are as godly as we can ever be.

d.     Paul points out that if we could speak every language known to man, or even like the angels, but not possess love, we would be useless.

       i.      The phrase sounding brass is translated “noisy gong” in other translations and tinkling cymbal is translated “clanging cymbal”.

       ii.      Both gongs and cymbals were used in the idolatrous practices so common in Corinth.

      iii.      It seems that Paul was saying that the worship you are offering while fighting with one another about speaking in tongues is equal to idol worship in the eyes of God.

       iv.      All of it is noisy and useless to God.

e.      Paul then turns to other miraculous abilities and says that if you could perform them and know things miraculously, you would be nothing.

        i.      Could you imagine being able to move a mountain into the sea, as Jesus said could be done, but be nothing?

       ii.      The word nothing indicates to be of no account or worthless.

       iii.      David Lipscomb pointed to Judas Iscariot as a man who fit this passage.

f.       Paul then turned from miraculous works to being sacrificial without love.

        i.      What would we think of someone who gave everything he had in order for the poor to be fed?

       ii.      What would we think of someone who gave his life for the cause of Christ?

       iii.      If it was done without love for their brethren and God, it would be worthless effort.

g.      Love shows us to be like God as much as is humanly possible.

h.     Love is the badge of discipleship that sets us apart from the world (John 13:34-35).

i.        Effort given without love is useless, worthless effort.

II.            The performance of love (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

a.      How do we know when someone is truly loving?

b.     Love is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

c.      Like other things, love is shown in our actions and Paul points this out.

d.     Paul points out numerous attributes of love – some positive and some negative.

e.      We will join these together in groups to show what love is capable of doing:

       i.      Love helps us live in peace with other.

1.      It suffers long or is long in coming to anger – love doesn’t allow us to fly off hot.

2.      It is kind – the only time this particular Greek word is used and it carries the idea of being gentle towards others, showing oneself to be mild in disposition.

3.      It does not envy – instead of seeking revenge but responds with kindness (Romans 12:17-21).

       ii.      Love removes vanity.

1.      It does not vaunt itself – love refuses to brag about itself.

2.      It is not puffed up – love won’t let us swell up like a toad trying to bring attention to ourselves.

       iii.      Love helps us be better people.

1.      It does not behave itself unseemly – which means moral deformity.

2.      It seeks not its own – it doesn’t demand its rights.

      iv.      Love helps us control our feelings.

1.      It isn’t easily provoked – isn’t easily stirred to anger.

2.      It doesn’t think evil – this doesn’t mean one is naïve, but it does mean that we don’t go straight to thinking the worst about someone, but instead thinks the best until proven otherwise.

3.      One writer said these mean we don’t act like an accountant and record the mistakes of those we love.

      v.      Love helps deepen our convictions that are based on God’s word.

1.      It rejoices not in unrighteousness but does rejoice in the truth.

2.      God’s word is truth, so those things that are good and right with God bring joy and those that aren’t bring sadness.

      vi.      Love helps us to reach out to others.

1.      It bears all things – protects or hides the faults of others.

2.      It believes all things – it believes the best about others.

3.      It hopes all things – wanting the best and refusing to jump to conclusions.

4.      It endures all things – it will cause us to take whatever is given us and make something much more beautiful out of it.

III.            The permanence of love (1 Cor. 13:8-13).

a.      Paul contrasts the permanence of love with the limited duration of miraculous gifts.

       i.      Paul said that love would never perish or fail.

      ii.      However, the gifts would all fail, cease, or vanish.

1.      Each of those indicated the temporary nature of the miraculous gifts.

2.      They were never meant to last forever but love would, thus it is the more excellent way.

b.     Love would and will always hold a place of prominence in the life of a Christian.

c.      There are at least five different ideas about what that which is perfect is.

      i.      However, if we let the passage itself dictate the meaning, it is easy to see.

      ii.      Paul said that prophecy and knowledge were parts of something.

      iii.      Of what would they be parts?

      iv.      It has to be God’s word.

      v.      That which is perfect is the completed revelation of God’s will in written form.

d.     When that was finally brought to fruition, the miraculous would and did cease, but love would still continue to remain a vital part of the life of a Christian.

e.      The miraculous life was compared to the maturing of a child into an adult or looking into a mirror as opposed to looking face to face.

f.       As great as faith and hope are in the life of a Christian, love is the greatest.

      i.      There is great debate as to why love is said to be preeminent.

      ii.      The best answer to me is that love is more influential on others.

1.      Faith and hope are more internal.

2.      Love is shown to others, thus having a greater impact on the lives of those around us.

g.      Each has a part in saving us, but love for others helps save them as well.

Facts Of The Judgment Of God 7-6-25 AM

I.            Judgment is according to truth (Rom. 2:1-2).

a.      If you follow news at all, there has been a lot of talk about judges and judgments the past few years.

i.      There is talk of a two-tiered legal system.

ii.      If you lean one way politically you get one set of rules.

iii.      If you lean another you get a different set of rules.

b.     This is not new.

i.      It has long been held that if you have money you can get away with anything.

ii.      The rich have one set of rules while the poor have another has long been believed.

c.     Whether each of those is true or not does not matter when it comes to the judgment seat of Christ.

d.     Paul tells those of us who would engage in the judgment of others that we have a problem.

i.      Inexcusable literally means without defense.

ii.      One who judges others is condemned because we do the same things.

e.     We need to keep in mind what Paul is doing by inspiration in these first three chapters.

i.      Chapter one shows that Gentiles are condemned because of all the heinous sins in which they were engaging because of their rejection of God.

ii.      Chapter two shows that Jews are condemned because they had rejected Jesus and, before that, had seemingly rejected the Law of Moses, which led them to commit the same type sins as the Gentiles.

 iii.      Chapter three shows that all are condemned because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

f.        Paul is saying, by inspiration, that for lost Jews to judge lost Gentiles is ridiculous because you are committing the same sins.

g.      Their judgment was false because they were not using the right standard and they were involved in committing the same sins.

h.      This won’t happen at the judgment seat of Christ.

i.        His judgment, the judgment of God, is according to truth.

 i.      God’s word is the standard (John 17:17).

 ii.      John 12:48.

j.        This word does not and will not change (Matt. 24:35; 1 Pe. 1:23).

k.      When you and I and all humanity stand individually before the judgment seat of Christ, the resulting judgment will be based on truth.

 II.            There is no escape from judgment (Rom. 2:3-4).

a.      Some people in this life get away with things that others don’t.

 i.      We’ve seen this through our lives in both big and small things.

ii.      You may have cheated on a test in school and got caught while a friend cheated but didn’t get caught.

iii.      We’ve seen people get arrested for things that other people have done but not got arrested for.

 iv.      Our civil system is good but it isn’t perfect because humans are in charge of it.

b.      This will not happen on the judgment day.

c.       Paul asks this question: Do you really think you are going to escape judgment?

 i.      Paul knew there is no way that one will miss that appointment (Heb. 9:27).

 ii.      2 Cor. 5:10 – notice those phrases:

1.      All appear.

2.      That everyone.

 iii.      Acts 17:30-31 – notice those phrases:

1.      Commands all men everywhere.

2.      He will judge the world.

3.      Given assurance unto all men.

d.      There is no escaping the judgment of God.

 i.      No matter how much money or power one has, it won’t matter.

 ii.      There will only be truth of God’s word against the lives we’ve led.

III.            Rebellion brings wrath (Romans 2:5).

a.      When were you the harshest towards your children?

b.      For me, it was when one of them refused to admit wrong.

  i.      We would know that he or she did something but he or she would refuse to admit it.

  ii.      It may be why I’m bald because it made me want to pull my hair out.

c.       It always goes easier when you admit you did wrong and repent.

d.      This is true with parents and it is true with God.

e.      Those people who refuse to repent because of hard hearts are going to experience the wrath of God.

i.      Rom. 1:18 tells us that those Gentiles who engaged in those sins listed in the rest of the chapter would experience the wrath of God.

 ii.      The same is true for those who refused to believe in Jesus (John 3:36).

f.        Notice what Paul writes later in this same book (Rom. 11:22).

 i.      God had been good to those who made a change for Him.

 ii.      God had been severe on those Jews who refused to follow Jesus.

 iii.      Think about how severe it got – Rome destroying Jerusalem in a vicious way in AD 70.

g.      Paul calls the day of judgment the day of wrath.

 i.      Those that refuse to obey will experience the wrath of God.

 ii.      They will do so in a terrible way for all eternity.

h.      The result of rebellion against God is His wrath.

IV.            God judges according to deeds (Rom. 2:6-10).

a.      When judgment comes, it is going to be completely impartial.

b.      The reason for this is that it is based solely on our deeds.

 i.      Remember 2 Cor. 5:10.

 ii.      Judgment will be based on the things we have done while in this body.

c.       There is not a separate set of rules for one group over another.

d.      Those who patiently, enduringly, lived for God will have glory, honor, immortality, eternal life.

 i.      Those are four wonderful things aren’t they?

 ii.      By living for God, in well doing, we show we desire these things.

e.      Those who are causing problems and trying to make themselves more important, the idea of contentious, comes indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish.

 i.      Those are four terrible words aren’t they?

 ii.      By living for self, we will get what we deserve.

f.        It doesn’t matter if we are Jew or Gentile.

g.      Verses eight and nine show us how much God hates sin.

h.      Whatever our sentence is on that day, it will be based on our deeds.

 V.            It doesn’t matter who you are (Rom. 2:11).

a.      We mentioned earlier that there are always charges of two sets of standards in the law.

b.      We mentioned how some charge our legal system with a set of rules for those with money and set for those without.

c.       God does not care about our color, financial standing, or position in this world.

d.      Paul just wrote that Jew and Gentile will receive either good things or bad things and it will based on deeds.

e.      We need to understand it does not matter who we are or how much we have.

 i.      It doesn’t matter who our parents are.

 ii.      It doesn’t’ matter who our spouse is.

f.        Remember what Peter said when stood before Cornelius (Acts 10:34).

g.      There is no respect of persons with God.

A Case Of Conversion, Apostasy, And Restoration 6-29-25 AM

I.            The ruse of Simon (Acts 8:9-11).

a.      Simon was a man of that area that used magic or sorcery to capture the minds of the people of Samaria.

           i.      The word “sorcery” is the same word translated “wise men” in Matthew 2.

           ii.      This type of magic came from Zoroastrianism, which developed in what we know of as Iran.

           iii.      It was used to do exactly what the word “bewitched” means, capture minds, trick peoples minds into believing something by amazing them.

b.      By sleight of hand and trickery, Simon had gotten the people to believe that he had the power of God.

c.       By doing this, he held great power over the people.

           i.      It wasn’t just poor, common people either.

           ii.      His power was over the least to the greatest.

           iii.      This was the Chris Angel or Harry Houdini of his day.

II.            The redemption of Simon (Acts 8:12-13).

a.      The word “but” is very important in this passage.

           i.      Simon had held power over the people.

           ii.      They believed he as the power of God.

b.      But, when they heard the truth, their minds were changed.

            i.      Philip preached Christ to them.

            ii.      This included preaching about His church and about who and what Jesus was.

c.       Along with that preaching, Philip had been performing miracles to confirm the things he was preaching were true (Acts 8:6-7).

d.      Because of what they heard and what they saw they were convinced of the truth of the gospel and many obeyed the teaching of Philip and were baptized.

e.      What is amazing is that the one who had held power over the people by fraud also believed and was baptized.

            i.      This man, one who had position and prominence in the eyes of the people before Philip came, gave up all of that to obey the gospel.

            ii.      There is a lot of good to learn from this man.

            iii.      He was willing to leave behind that which he had used to promote himself in order to obey the gospel.

           iv.      We need more people like Simon in this world.

           v.      In Acts 13, we read of another sorcerer who had some power, Elymas, who withstood the truth that Paul preached and had to be struck blind.

           vi.      He was unwilling to change for the truth, whereas Simon was completely willing.

f.        When Simon heard Philip’s preaching, he believed it obeyed it by being baptized.

g.      Luke then tells us something that I find interesting.

           i.      He continued to go with Philip wherever he went and was in amazement at the miracles Philip performed.

           ii.      Why do you think he was amazed?

           iii.      The reason, at least to me, is that he was seeing something that was real.

           iv.      All the things he had done were faked so as to draw people to him.

           v.      What Philip was doing was real and lasting.

h.      Whatever way we look at it, Simon was saved at this point by believing the preaching of Philip and then being baptized into Christ.

III.            The resolve of Simon (Acts 8:14-19).

a.      Word got back to the apostles in Jerusalem about what great success Philip was having in Samaria so Peter and John came.

b.      When these two apostles came, they prayed that God would allow the Holy Spirit to be given to these new converts.

c.       The apostles then laid their hands on some of the converts and passed miraculous gifts on to them so they could confirm the words they would preach to others.

d.      This amazed Simon even more than Philip’s abilities.

e.      At this point, Simon resolved to get this ability for himself.

           i.      Performing miracles was wonderful.

           ii.      To Simon, the ability to give others the ability to perform miracles was too much for him to pass up.

f.        Sadly, he went through with his resolution and asked the apostles to give him that ability and he would pay them for it.

g.      In times past, Simon had made his living with magic.

           i.      He would perform magic and get paid.

           ii.      He would see a new trick and offer money to the one who performed it to teach him how to do it.

           iii.      It is probable that he saw the ability to impart gifts to others as a money making scheme.

IV.            The restoration of Simon (Acts 8:20-24).

a.      Peter immediately nipped this idea in the bud.

b.      The literal translation of the beginning of Peter’s statement is “you and your money will go to hell.”

           i.      Peter meant this literally.

           ii.      At that point, Simon was lost and would end up in hell for his sin.

c.       It is interesting that many in the religious world, those infected with the false doctrine of Calvinism, teach that based on this, Simon was never saved.

           i.      John Calvin taught this back in the 1600's and now it is still in books and sermons today.

           ii.      Despite the fact that Simon did everything else the other Samaritans did and the exact same language is used to describe their conversions, they were saved but Simon was not, at least according to Calvinism.

d.      For Simon to have not been saved would be to have him expressing an insincere faith at his conversion.

           i.      Luke says the exact opposite.

           ii.      Luke says that “Simon himself believed also.”

           iii.      He believed in the exact same manner as the others.

           iv.      He obeyed in the exact same manner as the others.

e.      The truth is, Simon obeyed and was saved but then sinned and became lost.

f.        Peter told Simon that he had no part of distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit and, even if it were possible, which it wasn’t, he wouldn’t be able to do so because his heart was not right with God.

g.      It is at this point, we get to see another great spiritual lesson: a child of God who sins can repent and pray for forgiveness and have that sin removed.

           i.      Some call this God’s second law of pardon.

           ii.      A baptized believer who sins does not have to be baptized again.

           iii.      He or she has to repent and pray.

h.      The reason Simon needed to do so was that he was in the bile of bitterness, he would be eaten up with it if he continued in that mindset.

i.        Also, he was captive to the sin as long as he thought that way.

j.        Simon then asked Peter to pray for him.

           i.      I believe this shows Simon’s penitence and desire to be right with God.

           ii.      We extend the Lord’s invitation and ask people to respond allowing their brethren to pray for them.

Signs Of Spiritual Immaturity 6-22-25 PM

I.            Indolence towards God’s word (Hebrews 5:11).

a.      Learning is the same in any subject.

            i.      You begin with basic things and you add to them.

            ii.      You don’t do algebra before you learn addition and subtraction.

            iii.      You don’t learn to write until you learn to spell and so on.

b.      The same is true with spiritual matters.

c.       Our writer wanted to continue, and later will, talking about the priesthood of Melchisedek, but knew that the brethren to whom he was writing had a problem.

d.      It was a problem of indolence, or laziness.

            i.      The brethren were dull of hearing.

            ii.      Literally, they had lazy ears.

e.      When it came to God’s word, they simply had become lazy.

f.        There are different causes for this, but it still happens today.

            i.      Some refuse to take in God’s word.

1.      We don’t read the Bible or read spiritually stimulating articles.

2.      We have a number of leftover Spiritual Swords every quarter.

3.      We only get 50.

4.      Some are not taking advantage of a great spiritual resource.

            ii.      Some don’t listen well to the sermons.

1.      I know I have a responsibility to stand before you with something to say from God’s word.

2.      Every preacher has that responsibility.

3.      You as a listener, however, have a responsibility to have your ears open.

4.      Long ago, Jesus take heed how you hear (Luke 8:18).

5.      Our minds have to be open to the spoken word of God.

            iii.      Some just take God’s word for granted.

1.      We can get like that with God’s word.

2. We can just show up on Sundays and expect a sermon and go home, or we can have true worship, which is joint participation.

g.      When we get lazy in our spiritual lives, it shows up in the way we act, and in the sins we commit.

II.      An inability to share God’s word (Hebrews 5:12a).

a.      Do you remember what you did to obey the gospel?

            i.      You probably are thinking, “Well of course, Ben. Do you think I’m stupid”?

            ii.      Can you tell others?

b.      It’s amazing what we can share with others isn’t it?

            i.      We can share recipes with others.

            ii.      We can share how to fix a complicated combustible engine.

            iii.      We can share the intricacies of proper throwing mechanics.

            iv.      We can share our insight into our favorite sports teams.

            v.      We can share gossip.

c.       How many of us are sharing the gospel?

d.      Our writer told these brethren that it was past time that they were teachers.

           i.      These brethren had been given the gospel message numerous years before receiving this letter.

           ii.      If it was sent to Jewish converts in the area of Judea, these brethren were some of the first converts.

           iii.      Hebrews was probably written in the early 60's, so about 30 years had passed between the brethren being taught the gospel and their receiving this letter.

e.      It’s a shame when the deacon over the education department has to scrounge around for teachers and beg older Christians to teach younger Christians.

f.        These brethren had the need of being taught again the things they had already learned because they had forgotten them or allowed them to stagnate in their mind.

g.      The problem was this could be seen in their lives by their failure to remain faithful.

h.      It is needful for things to be gone over again and that is to be understood.

           i.      However, you and I, if we have been Christians for a while, should be able to teach them to others.

           ii.      Basic, first principle things, such as the plan of salvation, the one church, repentance, and doctrines such as these should not be hard concepts to mature Christians.

III.    An insufficient diet (Hebrews 5:12-14).

a.      If you want to get sick, keep eating the wrong kinds foods.

           i.      Physically, ingesting the proper foods is key to good health.

           ii.      If you eat foods that are unhealthy, or refuse to eat, you are going to be unhealthy.

b.      Spiritually speaking, the food on which we must grow is the word of God (1 Peter 2:2).

            i.      Milk is fine for infants.

            ii.      A new convert is not ready for the type of study that a 20 year Christian should be doing.

c.       However, there is in the church , as there was with these brethren, people who are immature because they have not been eating properly.

           i.      Their diet of God’s word is spotty at best.

           ii.      Relying on what one gets in 2 30 minute sermons and 2 45 minute class periods won’t let you starve, but you won’t grow much either.

d.      If we are still having the same problems and committing the same sins, we are showing that our spiritual diet is insufficient.

           i.      Someone once said that right learning leads to right living.

           ii.      If we fail to learn right, we can’t live right.

           iii.      We won’t overcome sin and remain faithful with a weak spiritual diet.

e.      We live in a time with more than enough avenues of study.

           i.      It is amazing what can be found with a simple google search.

           ii.      Sadly, many of us are ignoring the great opportunities for study that we have.

           iii.      As a human being, one of the marks of maturity is you learn how to feed yourself. This is true in spiritual growth too.

f.        So many tools lie within easy reach, but too many Christians are ignoring them.

g.      We grow when we exercise our senses.

           i.      Spiritually, we are to know right from wrong.

           ii.      We read and take in information to train our senses.

           iii.      The only way to do this is to take in the right information, which is God’s word, and use it to find out what is right and wrong.

h.      The only way this is possible is if we use what God provides us.

Some Truths From A Dishonest Man 6-22-25 AM

I.        We need to fear God (Lu. 23:40).

a.      These two men were both hanging on crosses in terrible pain.

b.      One of them continued to harass Jesus.

           i.      Luke 23:38 mentions that superscription attached to the cross of Jesus.

           ii.      The next verse contains the jab of the criminal telling Jesus that if He were truly the Messiah He could save Himself as well as the thieves.

c.       After seeing all that was going on and hearing what Jesus had said up to this point, the other criminal had enough.

           i.      Again, we don’t know what clicked in his mind.

           ii.      He had seen and heard enough to draw the conclusion that Jesus was different than them and was who He said He was.

d.      Since he had come to realize that Jesus was the Messiah, he realized that to be mocking Jesus was to show a lack of reverence for God.

e.      When you look at the lives of people today, you see a lot of lack of reverence for God, which is what fear in this verse means.

f.        Long ago the Preacher said man is whole when he fears God and keeps His commandments (Ecc. 12:13).

g.      Instead, our society shows a lack of reverence by their actions and words (Ps. 36:1).

h.      Notice Romans 3:12-18.

           i.      This rings true in our time today.

           ii.      All around us are those who do not reverence God.

i.        This dishonest man stated a bold truth to his companion – you need to fear God.

j.        All today need to have a reverence for God as well and we, as His people, have to exemplify that to all others.

II.       We deserve our condemnation (Lu. 23:40-41).

a.      These two men deserved the punishment they were enduring.

b.      Crucifixion was reserved for those who had committed severe crimes.

           i.      Stealing from houses was not a crime punishable by death.

           ii.      When you read about Rome putting people to death by crucifixion, it was often because of some crime against Rome in some way.

c.       Whatever these two men had done, it had to have been severe and viewed by Roman law as a crime against the state.

d.      The criminal speaking did not deny he had done something wrong.

           i.      He said that they were receiving the due reward of their deeds.

           ii.      What they had done was worthy of the punishment they were receiving.

e.      The truth is we all are in this situation (Rom. 6:23).

f.        None of us are free from sin.

g.      Rom. 3:10, 23.

h.      Sin separates us from God (Isa. 59:1-2).

           i.      Being separated from God is spiritual death.

           ii.      That is what we deserve because we’ve all sinned.

i.        Rom. 5:12.

j.        James 1:14-15.

k.      This dishonest man knew that he deserved the punishment he was receiving.

l.        We deserve punishment because we have all sinned.

III.     Jesus was sinless (Luke 23:41).

a.      The criminal had just stated that he and his companion were getting what they deserved because of their actions.

b.      He then stated that Jesus had done nothing amiss, or, as all newer translations say, nothing wrong.

c.       Jesus was perfect, sinless in action all His life.

           i.      The Old Testament prophesied this would be the case (Isa. 53:9).

           ii.      Numerous New Testament verses teach this fact (2 Cor. 5:20-21; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 Pet. 2:21-22;  Heb. 4:15; 1 John 3:5).

d.      This criminal knew that the charges against Jesus were not true.

           i.      Pilate had known this as well (John 19:4).

           ii.      Only envy had delivered Jesus into this predicament (Mk. 15:10).

e.      I don’t know for sure that the man understood that Jesus was perfectly sinless His whole life.

           i.      Jesus knew that He was (John 8:29).

           ii.      We don’t know for sure what this man fully knew.

f.        This dishonest man did know and was willing to state that Jesus was sinless in this regard and we know He was sinless in every aspect.

IV.    Jesus would receive a kingdom (Luke 23:42).

a.      He states his request as if he knew it was an absolute fact that Jesus would receive a kingdom.

b.      How did He know about the kingdom?

           i.      Remember, if what we stated in the introduction is true, this man knew the Old Testament.

           ii.      He knew the promise of God to David in 2 Sam. 7.

           iii.      He knew what Isaiah wrote about the coming one (Isa. 9:6-7).

           iv.      He knew what Danial wrote about the kingdom (Dan. 2:44; Dan 7:13-14).

c.      This man believed that Jesus was the Messiah and he knew the Messiah was to receive a kingdom.

d.      An angel spoke to Mary about the kingdom her Son would have (Luke 1:33).

e.      Jesus spoke about His coming kingdom:

           i.      Matt. 16:18-19.

           ii.      Mark 9:1.

           iii.      All the parables about the kingdom of heaven are about the kingdom He would receive.

           iv.      Jesus told people to repent because the kingdom was near.

           v.      Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36).

f.        The apostles spoke about the kingdom being in existence after His ascension into heaven.

           i.      Rom. 14:17;

           ii.      1 Cor. 4:20.

           iii.      Col. 1:13.

           iv.      Heb. 12:28.

g.      There are those today who teach that Jesus does not have a kingdom yet.

            i.      With all the things going on in Israel, this is becoming more and more prevalent.

            ii.      Our premillennial friends have been teaching this false doctrine for a long time.

h.      This dishonest man told the truth that Jesus was going to have a kingdom.

V.      Only Jesus allows you into His kingdom (Luke 23:42).

a.      This man requested Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into His kingdom.

            i.      He didn’t ask anyone else.

            ii.      He knew it was the kingdom of Jesus and not anyone else.

b.      Only Jesus is the way into the kingdom (John 14:6).

c.       Many people today are citizens in some other kingdom than that of Jesus.

           i.      They are trying to get to God through man-made ways.

           ii.      They are trying to get to God through some other man that Jesus.

d.      It is only the kingdom of Jesus that will be delivered up to God the Father (1 Cor. 15:24).

e.      Jesus is the only way to salvation (Acts 4:12).

f.        No other name and no other person can allow us into the kingdom that will be delivered to the Father.

g.      Because Jesus is the only one who allows you into His kingdom, we have to follow His commands to do so.

           i.      Jesus died for the church (Acts 20:28).

           ii.      Therefore, Jesus has the right to set the terms of entrance into it.

h.      We have to listen to His word (Matt. 11:5).

i.        We have to believe Jesus is God’s Son (John 8:24).

j.        We have to repent of our sins (Luke 13:3, 5).

k.      We have to confess Jesus as Lord (Matt. 10:32-33).

l. We have to be baptized (Mark 16:16).

What Is A Father? 6-15-25 AM

I.            Fierce.

a.      There is the belief that all people are either a sheep or a wolf.

           i.      Someone came up with the idea for another category to add to that.

           ii.      The other category is that of sheepdog.

b.      Sheepdogs fiercely protect the flock.

c.       They look out for any predators that may harm the sheep that have been placed in their protection.

d.      This is what a father is supposed to be for his family.

e.      He is to be fierce in the face of Satan.

           i.      Satan is described as a roaring lion (1 Pe. 5:8).

           ii.      Satan is trying to destroy our homes.

f.        Fathers are to fiercely protect each member of the home.

g.      He has to be on guard against any form of attack that Satan may launch.

h.      Paul told the Corinthians… (1 Cor. 16:13).

           i.      Newer versions have be on guard for watch ye.

           ii.      This is the role of a father.

i.        Sometimes those in his home won’t like what he does because they may not see the harm in something but he does.

j.        Fathers are to be fierce in protecting their families physically as well.

II.            Available.

a.      Fathers need to be present in the lives of their families.

           i.      Present does not just mean bodily presence.

           ii.      It is not enough to be in the same house or even the same room but glued to a phone or the tv.

b.      Ephesians 6:4.

c.       There is no way to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord while being away from them.

           i.      The word for nurture means “the whole training and education of children” – newer versions translate it as training.

           ii.      The word for admonition means “a putting into the mind” – newer versions translate it as instruction.

d.      Fathers have the responsibility of seeing to their children being trained and instructed in the doctrines of Christ.

e.      That takes being available to those children to take the time to teach them.

f.        Our children need us to be available to them to answer their questions about life.

g.      Our children need us to be available to them when they are hurting and need comfort.

h.      Fathers need to listen and show up in their children’s big moments as well as the small ones.

III.            Trustworthy.

a.      A father should be able to be trusted by his wife.

b.      A father should be able to be trusted by his children.

c.       All family members should be able to count on the father to be and do what he should be and do.

d.      Proverbs 20:7.

           i.      When a father is trustworthy, his children are blessed.

           ii.      When a father is trustworthy, his wife is blessed.

e.      This attribute comes from following Christ.

f.        A father that has this attribute is consistent.

           i.      Children don’t have to worry about what mood dad is going to be in when he gets home.

           ii.      His wife doesn’t have to worry about how he is spending the family’s money or if he is being faithful to her.

g.      A father is honest in his dealings with others, modeling this attribute for his children.

h.      A father who is trustworthy has shown his ability to make wise decisions for his family based on God’s word.

IV.            Humble.

a.      Humble is defined as not proud or arrogant when it is used as an adjective and to make meek when it is a verb.

b.      A father has to model this in both ways.

c.       A father cannot be proud or arrogant and expect his family to grow in the knowledge of Christ.

d.      A father has to make himself meek, put his strength under the control of God, in order for his family to have the opportunity to prosper spiritually.

e.      Matt. 23:12.

f.        I read an article about how fathers can model humility and it had four ways this can be done.

            i.      Get over ourselves – our family members are just as important as we are because they are also made in the image of God.

            ii.      Be able to admit when we are wrong – it is not a sin to apologize to our wife or children when we are wrong about something.

            iii.      Do the dirty jobs – show our children what it means to work, even doing the dirty stuff like changing a diaper or cleaning up other messes.

            iv.      Realize we can learn from our wife and children – we are never to old to learn something and we need to let them know that we learned something from them.

g.      Our Lord was humble and we must be as well for our families to prosper.

V.            Encouraging.

a.      We should be our wives biggest fans.

b.      We should be our children’s biggest fans.

c.       Paul told the Thessalonians… (1 Th. 5:11).

d.      We need to encourage them in every good endeavor.

e.      We can do that in several different ways:

            i.      We need to pray for our families and our family members should know we are praying for them.

            ii.      We should speak in encouraging ways to them and not tear them down.

            iii.      We should be guiding our families to trust in God during the good times and the bad times.

f.        When things don’t go right for our children at school or in a ballgame or recital, when they get in the car to go home is not the time to rehash all they did wrong.

            i.      This is something that took me a while to learn.

            ii.      The ride home should be as encouraging as it can be and then take care of the corrections in a discussion at home the next day or at practice.

g.      We need to be lifting up our families, not tearing them down.

VI.            Respectable.

a.      Respectable simply means able to be respected.

b.      Eph. 5:33 end with “and the wife see that she reverences her husband.”

           i.      The word for reverences is translated respects in all the newer versions.

           ii.      In reality, this is what a man wants from his wife and family.

           iii.      Husbands are to love their wives but wives are to respect their husbands.

           iv.      This is because that is what both need for fulfillment in life.

c.       A father needs to possess the type personality and act in a way that makes him able to be respected by his family.

d.      When we are fierce, available, trustworthy, humble, and encouraging, we will be able to be respected by our wives and children.

e.      In order to be respected like we desire, we must be respectable.

Communication In The Home 6-8-25 AM

I.            Barriers to communication.

a.      Materialism.

           i.      Whenever we put things before God, it hurts our marriages.

           ii.      Our relationship with God affects our relationship with our spouse.

           iii.      Many think that by providing many material goods that they are showing their love.

           iv.      In truth, we need to be verbal much more than material in the way we express our love for our spouses.

b.      A critical attitude.

           i.      A psychologist wrote: “The major barrier to mutual interpersonal communication is our very natural tendency to judge, evaluate, to approve or disapprove the statement of the other person...”

           ii.      As in all things, we are to judge righteous judgment.

c.       Fear.

           i.      If there is a lot of criticism, we are afraid to open up to our spouse.

           ii.      Also, if a spouse cannot take a negative comment we don’t open up as we should.

d.      Manipulation.

           i.      Whining, pouting, or withholding to get your spouse to think your way or do what you want is wrong.

           ii.      No one likes to be manipulated and it only creates resentment and distrust.

e.      Preoccupation.

           i.      We live in a busy world and sometimes we get caught up in the mundane instead of the important.

           ii.      Our spouses needs to know that they have our attention.

f.        Dullness.

           i.      Sometimes we let our marriages get stuck in ruts.

           ii.      Everything stays the same from our words to our foods, to our clothes to the places we go.

           iii.      Happy couples look for new things to do together.

g.      Dishonesty.

           i.      This ruins marriages.

           ii.      The trust that must be there is thwarted with even the smallest of untruths being noticed.

II.            Keys to effective communication.

a.      Be knowledgeable (1 Peter 3:7).

           i.      We should know the likes and dislikes of our mate.

           ii.      This can only happen by spending time together.

b.      Be loving.

           i.      We cannot render evil for evil.

           ii.      We must be loving even when our spouse is not.

c.       Be transparent - nothing should be hidden from our spouse.

           i.      If your spouse is to deeply love he/she must deeply know you.

           ii.      No room for the “what he/she doesn’t know...”

d.      Be trustworthy.

e.      Be positive - if something is unimportant, leave it alone.

f.        Be sensitive.

           i.      Just because we would not feel a certain way does not mean our spouse won’t.

           ii.      We need to be accepting of our spouses feelings and help them deal with them.

g.      Be an effective communicator - look for clues our spouse is not getting what we are saying.

h.      Be a good listener.

           i.      On several occasions Jesus said, “He that hath ears...”

           ii.      Don’t jump to conclusions, but hear everything first.

i.        Be prayerful.

           i.      It is hard to argue with someone for whom you’re praying.

           ii.      We will calm down doing then and remember how we are supposed to treat our spouse.

III.            How to fight fairly.

a.      Clarify the issue.

           i.      Make sure you are arguing about the same thing.

           ii.      Many times we are arguing over different issues.

b.      Repeat their words.

           i.      We’ve all said these words at some time during an argument: “That’s not what I said.”

           ii.      We should make ourselves understand exactly what the other person said.

c.       Choose the right time.

           i.      Don’t ambush your spouse with an argument.

           ii.      Right before bed is not the best time.

d.      Look before you leap.

           i.      Will arguing about this topic bring about any good.

           ii.      Proverbs 17:14.

e.      Resolve to resolve.

           i.      Don’t end an argument without the matter being resolved.

           ii.      Ephesians 4:26.

f.        Attack the problem, not your spouse.

           i.      Leave the mud-slinging to the politicians.

           ii.      Before too long, a rock gets into the mud.

g.      Hold hands while arguing.

           i.      The one who devised these rules said it is difficult to verbally assault your spouse while holding hands.

           ii.      The writer then said don’t let go until you have prayed.

(Material gathered from several sources for this sermon)

Grace In The Aftermath 6-1-25 AM

I.            Inspiration speaks about divorce (Matt. 19:3-9).

a.      The Pharisees often tested Jesus and this text contains one of those situations.

b.      The teaching of that time was divided when it came to divorce, just like today.

                                                              i.      There were those that believed in divorce for any reason.

                                                            ii.      There were those that believed in divorce only for fornication.

c.       What Jesus did was point them back to God’s creation of marriage in the beginning.

d.      What Jesus did was uphold God’s original design for marriage: lifelong, a covenant, and sacred.

e.      Jesus also recognized that sexual immorality can so damage a relationship that it can break the marital covenant.

f.        Notice that Jesus did not command divorce in this situation.

                                                              i.      A couple who experiences adultery on the part of one of the parties in the covenant does not have to divorce.

                                                            ii.      If both parties can reconcile, that is wonderful and the marriage is saved.

g.      However, some cannot reconcile, so the Lord allows for divorce in that instance.

h.      In a perfect world, this would be the only cause for divorce, but we know this is not a perfect world.

i.        Paul spoke about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7.

                                                              i.      A wife should not depart from her husband (1 Cor. 7:10).

                                                            ii.      The husband should not put away or divorce his wife (1 Cor. 7:11).

                                                          iii.      If either does for some reason other than fornication, he or she is to remain unmarried or seek reconciliation (1 Cor. 7:11).

j.        Paul then taught that a Christian married to a non-Christian is not so tied to the non-Christian that he or she can leave the Lord to keep the marriage together (1 Cor. 7:15).

                                                              i.      Not under bondage means that the marriage vow is not stronger than one’s vow to Christ to live for Him.

                                                            ii.      But nowhere does Paul say that this allows the Christian to remarry.

                                                          iii.      Jesus gave the one exception that allows for remarriage and that is fornication (Matt. 19:9)

k.      This shows us that there will be divorce for other reasons besides fornication.

II.            Embrace restoration (John 8:1-11).

a.      This is another account where Jesus was tested.

b.      The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman before Jesus who had been taken in the very act of adultery.

                                                              i.      It takes two to commit adultery.

                                                            ii.      It is telling that the man involved was not brought before Jesus.

                                                          iii.      This was strictly a plan to entrap Jesus.

c.       How did our Lord respond?

                                                              i.      A response based purely on justice would have been to condemn the woman to death.

                                                            ii.      Instead, Jesus showed grace to the woman.

d.      Jesus said that for the one among them who was without sin to cast the first stone.

e.      Their response was to slowly walk away beginning with the oldest to the youngest.

f.        Notice that Jesus did not deny a sin had taken place.

                                                              i.      Jesus told her to go and sin no more.

                                                            ii.      This implies that she had sinned.

g.      The church, us who belong to Christ, need to react in the same way when divorce occurs.

h.      Unless we have been through a divorce, we don’t understand the weight that is on one who has.

                                                              i.      There is the weight of the different emotions we mentioned in the introduction.

                                                            ii.      There is the spiritual weight of questioning if you are still right with God or not.

i.        The response of a Christian should be compassion.

j.        However, if you talk with those who have experienced divorce the response some will say what they have seen is suspicion or silence.

                                                              i.      Suspicion that they had committed some sin that caused the other spouse to turn to fornication or end the marriage.

                                                            ii.      Silence in that they are ignored as people because we don’t know what to say to them.

k.      We can’t treat divorced individuals as second-class Christians.

l.        How would we want to be treated if it was us who experienced such an unwanted experience (Matt. 7:12)?

m.    We have to avoid gossip or making assumptions (Matt. 7:1).

n.      We must continue to be friendly and make sure to include people who have experienced divorce as much as we can, keeping their feelings in mind.

III.            Practical ways the church can help (Rom. 12:9-13).

a.      This text in Romans is not specifically about those who have experienced divorce.

b.      It is specifically about how we are to treat one another in the church in any situation.

c.       We need to listen without judging, while understanding there are two sides to every story.

d.      We need to offer counseling if wanted or needed.

                                                              i.      This is not something everyone can do.

                                                            ii.      This needs to be done by those who are qualified.

e.      Don’t exclude from positions God allows – we should never make anything harder on someone than God does.

f.        We can help with the adjustment period.

                                                              i.      There may be a need for help with childcare.

                                                            ii.      There may be a need for help with moving.

g.      We need to show love while standing firm on the truths of scripture.

The Great High Priest 5-25-25 PM

 I.            The role of the Jewish high priest (Hebrews 5:1-14).

a.      The writer begins introducing Jesus as the high priest by talking about the role the high priest was supposed to have fulfilled under the Mosaic Law.

                                                              i.      As we study the life of Christ and read about Annas and Caiphas, it is not hard to see that those two at least, did not fit the description given us of the high priest by our writer.

                                                            ii.      Instead, those men were concerned about power and how to keep what they had and get more if possible.

                                                          iii.      God never wanted the high priest to think that way.

b.      I came across one article that said the high priest had to be the richest of his brothers and if he was not, his brothers were to give him some of their money until he had more than them.

c.       All of these ideas came from perversions of the Mosaic Law.

d.      The high priest was a man, taken from among men, and was set before the people to go to God on their behalf.

                                                              i.      He offered the various gifts that could be given, such as the thank offerings.

                                                            ii.      He also offered sacrifices for the people.

e.       His role was to be one who showed compassion on the people who were ignorant of God’s law or had committed sins.

                                                              i.      This was definitely not the case during the time this was written.

                                                            ii.      It had become a political appointment instead of a role to bring people to God.

f.        The reason he could do that was because he himself was beset by sin and weakness.

                                                              i.      In chapter 9, the writer will touch on this more, but he wanted the people to see God’s intent for the role of high priest.

                                                            ii.      He was a man, just like every other person, who would show compassion on those who needed it because of ignorance and sin.

g.      Because of his own sinfulness, he would offer sacrifices for himself as well as for the people.

                                                              i.      On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would offer for himself first.

                                                            ii.      He would then offer for the people before he went into the most holy place.

h.      The role of the high priest was to come to God on behalf of the people and for himself.

II.            The calling of Jesus as High Priest (Hebrews 5:4-6).

a.      The office of high priest was never intended to be an office or role that was taken up on one’s own.

                                                              i.      It had gotten to the point where it was almost a man running for office.

                                                            ii.      He would do favors for the one’s in control or show himself loyal in some way so as to get the position.

b.      It was one appointed by God just the way Aaron had been appointed.

c.       It was in this fashion that Jesus was appointed High Priest.

                                                              i.      Our Lord did not take on this title Himself.

                                                            ii.      It was bestowed upon Him by God.

d.      God called Jesus His Son and called Him a priest after the order of Melchisedec.

                                                              i.      The first quote is from Psalm 2:7.

                                                            ii.      The second is from Psalm 110:4.

e.       Melchisedec is mentioned again later, but we meet him in Genesis 14:18.

                                                              i.      He was the king of Salem as well as a priest of God.

                                                            ii.      Abraham honored him by paying tribute to him after returning from freeing Lot who had been kidnapped.

f.        We won’t go any deeper into this aspect other than to say that Jesus was made a King and a Priest, which is what Melchisedec had been and those are the only two about whom we read in scripture that held those two offices simultaneously.

g.      Our God called His Son Jesus to be our High Priest.

                                                              i.      A high priest was to show compassion for those ignorant of God’s word and who were in sin.

                                                            ii.      From the life of Jesus, we know that is exactly what He did.

h.      He is the High Priest who knows what we are going through, because we need that and it was a requirement of a high priest (Hebrews 4:15).

III.            The perfecting of Jesus to be High Priest (Hebrews 5:7-10).

a.      I hope that no one believes that this passage teaches that Jesus was not perfect.

                                                              i.      We just read the verse that tells us that Jesus was without sin.

                                                            ii.      This word perfect in verse 9 is a word that simply means complete.

                                                          iii.      This section tells us that Jesus had to endure what He did to complete Him for the role of our Savior and High Priest.

b.      The night of His betrayal, Jesus went into the garden to pray.

                                                              i.      We know that He prayed for God to release Him from the anguish He was going to have to endure but that He knew God’s will must be done.

                                                            ii.      Notice the words, “strong crying and tears”.

                                                          iii.      Luke tells us that it was so severe that Jesus began to have blood mingled in with His sweat.

                                                          iv.      He used the word agony to describe the condition of Jesus while praying.

                                                            v.      He was in such a state that God sent an angel to minister to Him.

c.       The last phrase of verse 7 is very interesting and has caused a lot of disagreement among Bible scholars.

d.      I’m no scholar so I won’t disagree with anyone.

e.       The last phrase says that Jesus’s prayer was heard because He feared God.

                                                              i.      There is no doubt that Jesus feared, or had reverence for, God the Father the entire time that He was on earth.

                                                            ii.      Some say that the writer was inspired to simply write this truth, that Jesus was heard because He revered God.

f.        Another line of thought is that this carries the idea that because Jesus feared God, God heard His prayer for comfort.

                                                              i.      Remember our Lord was human just like us.

                                                            ii.      It had to be extremely tempting for the human side of Jesus to want to get out of the extreme pain and anguish He was about to face.

                                                          iii.      Those prayers that Jesus prayed in the garden were prayers for strength in the hour of temptation.

                                                          iv.      He was praying for the human side of Himself to go along with the will of God.

                                                            v.      His prayer was heard and answered in the form of the angel coming to minister to Him in His deeply emotional state.

g.      Either of these views does nothing to hurt the text or disagrees with any other passage of scripture.

h.      It does seem odd that the writer would be inspired to simply tell us that Jesus was heard because He feared when we realize that He always had feared God the Father, but that does not mean it is not the case.

i.        Despite the fact that He was a Son and not just a servant, He still learned obedience.

                                                              i.      This does not mean He didn’t know it before.

                                                            ii.      What it does seem to mean is that Jesus learned of the true consequences of obedience.

                                                          iii.      One of the temptations facing those to whom this book was written was to forsake God because of the cost.

                                                          iv.      It was going to possibly cost them their lives.

                                                            v.      Our Lord understands the cost because that was the price He had to pay to obey the Father.

                                                          vi.      He can see us through that temptation because He faced it and conquered it Himself.

j.        His following through with being obedient completed Him and allowed Him to be the author, or source, of salvation for all those that obey Him.

                                                              i.      By His suffering for us because of obedience, He was made the perfect Savior and High Priest.

                                                            ii.      Those that obey Jesus, not just believe on Him, can obtain salvation because of what Jesus did for us.

k.      This all allowed Jesus to be called by God to be our High Priest after the order of Melchisedec.