2011 – A TIME TO REFOCUS
1 Chronicles 29:11
December 26, 2010
Let me start out by saying that Carol and I pray that you will all have a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Next week, we’ll be returning to the teachings on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But this is the last Sunday of this year and I wanted to take a few moments and talk about the coming new year.
Some of us make resolutions that go in one year and out the other. Like one man, named George. He said to a friend: "There's nothing like getting up at six in the morning, going for a run around the park, and taking a brisk shower before breakfast." His friend Bob asked, "How long have you been doing this?" George: "I start tomorrow."
I'm sure that when we came to the end of last year, we had questions about 2010 and what kinds of challenges and problems we would face. And I think that’s probably true this morning.
In all honestly, we don't know what this coming year holds and that's why it can be unsettling or even downright scary. The problem is that whenever you have human beings involved, you can't count on anything.
One mark of a Christian who is mature is they realize that most of what happens in life is out of their control. So, the best thing to do in 2011 is get a fix on what you CAN control. Now, there are lots of things that are out of our control but there is one thing that we can know for sure – GOD IS IN CONTROL.
With that thought in mind, let’s read together our text verse for this morning in 1 Chronicles 29:11 which, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”
God is in control of nature, of history and, in a personal way, God is in control of your life. You might not like that, but you didn't choose your parents or when and where you were born. You didn't choose if you were going to be Irish, German or whatever. You didn't choose your talents and skills and abilities and your personality.
The truth is that God made every gene in your body and He made you to be you. You might ask, "Well, if God is in complete control, do I have any freedom to choose anything?" Yes. God gave you the gift of being able to make choices – but you can't choose the consequences of those choices.
You can choose to do drugs, alcohol, have illicit relationships, etc., but you can't choose the consequences of those choices. God is in control. Now, for the Christian, that's good news because we're living in a world that seems to be totally OUT of control. So, even though we don't have a clue about what 2011 holds for us, we can know for certain that God is in control.
I want to take a look at 3 different areas that you need to remember about God's control. PP Because God is in control
YOUR PLANS WILL BE LIMITED – Proverbs 19:21 says Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
How many of you would agree that plans don't always work out the way we thought they would or should? God often has a better idea and often He will change our plans. For instance, did you marry the first person you thought you'd marry? My plans in high school were to become a CPA and make $150.00 or better per hour. Didn't work out.
There's nothing wrong with making plans. In fact, the Bible says in Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” It's ok to make plans but the key is to cooperate with God.
Prayer is crucial when making plans. Someone said that "Making plans without prayer is presumption." We should make plans and then pray, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" "What's the next step in my business or in this ministry or in my finance?"
Instead of praying, "Lord, please bless what I'm doing" you should pray, "Lord, help me to do what You are blessing." Secondly, because God is in control:
YOUR PROBLEMS HAVE A PURPOSE -- Chuck Swindoll wrote, "Every problem is an opportunity to prove God's power. Every day we encounter countless golden opportunities, brilliantly disguised as insurmountable problems.
Life has meaning and purpose. It's not just a series of random, unplanned events. As a Christian, you have the joy and peace of knowing that everything in your life goes through God's filter for your life.
1 Peter 1:6-7 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Not everything that happens to you is God's will. God's will is not always done on earth. But, He uses those problems to bring a greater good into our lives if we will trust Him and cooperate with Him. If I know that God is in control and that my problems have some purpose, then how should I respond to them?
2 Cor. 4:16 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Romans 8:31-39 says, If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and PP not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!
As we approach this next year, let that be your hope. God is in control. Your problems have a purpose. Because God is in control:
YOUR PRAYERS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE – Have you ever wondered at any time if prayer worked? I mean you get on your knees, and you start praying and the devil comes along and says, " God isn't hearing you. You're just playing some psychological game. It's a waste of time." Does he ever say that to you?
But prayer does work because God is in control. That's the basis for all miracles – God's in control – He's sovereign. If He wants to override nature, He can. If He wants to override a human law, He can. He can do whatever He wants to do.
Ephesians 3:20 tells us, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”
The best way to enter into 2011 is to acknowledge that God is in control over your life. If you will let God control the uncontrollable, then you won't worry about what you can't control. If you worry, then you’re really saying that you don’t trust God to have the power or resources to solve your problems. Nothing is beyond God’s control and He wants us to re-focus on that in this coming year.
If we'll do that, then we can go into this next year with a peace and joy and confidence that everything will be taken care of by God. God is in control
CALL --- As we leave 2010 and go into this new year, it is my prayer that everyone here will refocus and get a proper fix on 2011. God loves you and He's got a plan for your life. The question is, will you cooperate with Him? Will you allow Him to be in charge of your life? Will you allow Him to change the direction you're going? It's simple to do that. All you have to do is ask Jesus to take control of your life. Just ask Him to come into your heart and to forgive you for all of your sins and He'll give you a brand new beginning. Is there anyone who wants to do that?
2011 has lots of unknowns for all of us. Maybe you've been worried about what's coming down the road for you. There's some things that have caused you anxiety as you contemplate this next year. God is here to reassure you that if you will trust Him, He'll handle those issues. Will you let Him do that? Will you surrender those things to Him right now? Will you lay those issues before God and just surrender those to Him – attitudes, habits, motives, relationships, dreams, goals, plans, and problems – and just let God be God.
Father, we look forward to this coming year with hope, expectation. But help us to remember that those hopes and dreams and expectations can only come about as we trust You. Help us to remember just how much you love us. Keep us from making empty resolutions for this coming year but rather to recommit ourselves to You, Lord Jesus and to Your Word. In Jesus name.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
“A Greater Covenant”
Hebrews 8:6-13
December 22, 2010
This area of Hebrews begins one of the great subjects of the Bible – the new covenant of God. The Greek word for “covenant” is diatheke and it carries the meaning of an agreement between two parties. In life there are 2 kinds of covenants. The first is where both parties set the terms and mutually agree to them. The second is where one party sets the terms, but both parties agree to them. This kind of covenant is referred to as a will or testament. The latter is the covenant of God.
The new covenant is of God and not of man. Man has absolutely nothing to do with the terms of this covenant. It’s similar to the last will and testament of a human. The beneficiaries can’t change or argue with the conditions of the will; the can only receive or reject the inheritance. So it is with this covenant relationship between God and man. God sets the terms; we either accept or reject – no argument or debate. End of story. Now, let’s get to the point of these verses. That is that this covenant has been established by God and given to man by the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the minister of this new covenant and it is, by far, superior to the old covenant in several ways. First, the new covenant is
FOUNDED BY A PERFECT MEDIATOR -- Hebrews 8:6a “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one….”
The word “mediator” comes from the Greek word “mesites” which means someone who stands between two parties and brings them together . He is the negotiator and arbitrator. That’s Jesus. But the difference between human mediators and Jesus is that Jesus is perfect and He is chosen by God to stand between God and man. Jesus is perfect and does not twist, change, deceive add to, take away from or misrepresent the terms of God’s covenant. He spells out and proclaims perfectly the truth of this covenant. Secondly, the new covenant is:
FOUNDED ON BETTER PROMISES -- Hebrews 6b “….and it is founded on better promises.”
The Old Testament covenant was a covenant of the law. God promised that He would accept, bless and fellowship with man IF man would keep the law. Man accepted the conditions and vowed to obey the terms of God’s covenant. But man would find out about a terrible fact. The law was not full and complete enough. It did not go far enough in meeting man’s need. There were 4 weaknesses. First
IT DIDN’T PROVIDE INNER STRENGTH TO OBEY -- The law declared that God was holy and that He expected man to be the same way. But the law didn’t help man to obey. Secondly,
IT DIDN’T PROVIDE POWER TO BECOME ACCEPTABLE -- The law said that man could become acceptable to God but it didn’t provide the energy to become acceptable or to inherit eternal life. Thirdly,
IT DIDN’T PROVIDE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD -- The law said that God was the sovereign ruler of the universe but it didn’t provide for personal knowledge and fellowship with God. Finally,
IT SAID NOTHING ABOUT GOD’S LOVE AND MERCY -- The law said that God was strict and stern, just and holy. But the law said nothing about the love and mercy of God and His forgiveness.
That’s where the new covenant is better than the old. It’s founded on better promises. In the new covenant a person finds the inner power and strength they need; God’s personal acceptance means eternal life; a personal knowledge and fellowship with God and there is understanding of God’s love and mercy and forgiveness.
The new covenant means that God’s presence is much more real to you than it was to those under the old covenant. The Holy Spirit has come to guide us and educate us to the truths of God. The emotional quality of your life with God is better. You obey God because you love Him not because it’s your duty. Finally, under the new covenant, the mission for your life is greater. God will use you no matter where you are or what you are doing for a living – plumber, carpenter, landlord, nurse, surgeon, preacher. The barrier between sacred calling and secular work is gone. Everything shows the need for redemption and everywhere God displays the possibility for it. You, as a child of God and a follower of Jesus Christ are part of this movement of God. Thirdly, the new covenant:
ELIMINATES WEAKNESSES OF THE FIRST COVENANT -- Hebrews 8:7-9 “For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.”
From this point on, God is the one who is doing the talking and God is the one that pointing out the weaknesses of the old covenant. Thomas Hewitt, a Bible commentator said, “The Old covenant could reveal sin but not remove it, and being defective it could not save or justify guilty sinners. It failed to meet the deepest needs of sinful man….sin had made it ineffective. The real cause of the covenant’s weakness was man’s sinfulness; therefore God finds fault with them (man).”
The point here is if the old covenant was without fault, then a new covenant would not be necessary. But man, symbolized in Israel, didn’t keep the old covenant or law. The law did not have the ability to give power to man to keep the law so, God had to do something else or man would be eternally lost. So, He made a new covenant. God rejected Israel because they didn’t keep the old covenant and God will, most certainly, reject us if we do not keep the great, new covenant that focuses on His only Son, Jesus Christ. Fourthly, the new covenant:
IS AN INWARD SPIRITUAL POWER FOR MAN -- Hebrews 8:10-12 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
The new covenant gives man 4 great powers. They are:
THE POWER OF A NEW MIND AND HEART -- a reference to the new birth.
THE POWER OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD -- God said, “I will be their God and they will be My people.”
THE POWER TO KNOW GOD PERSONALLY -- No longer a need for human mediation by other human beings.
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS -- Forgiveness of sins means that God doesn’t remember our sins – forgiveness of sins is the basis for all other promises – and forgiveness of sins is based upon God’s mercy. Finally, the new covenant:
MAKES THE FIRST COVENANT OLD -- Hebrews 8:13 “By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. “
Because there is a new covenant given by God, that means that the old covenant is out of date, obsolete, and no longer of any use. But we must remember that the new covenant is bound up in the person of Jesus Christ. We no longer look to the law but to Jesus. Jesus has fulfilled the law. And as we follow Jesus and His righteousness and holiness, we follow God’s holiness and righteousness.
Many of the Jewish believers wanted to cling to the obsolete old ways instead of embracing Christ’s new covenant. Their spiritual growth had stopped and their belief system had brought about a boredom and their spiritual life had declined to nothing more than ritualistic duty. To keep that from happening to us we must remember that life in Christ is an on-going process until we get to heaven when we will experience the completeness of that life. Until then, growth is the normal pattern. It will endure seasons of drought and drudgery. That’s normal.
The key to continued growth in Christ is daily devotion to Jesus, Bible study and prayer. We need to seek for God daily for how he would have you to keep growing in your faith.
Father, thank You once again for the principles we are seeing in and through the work and life of Jesus Christ. Grant us the grace to remember the beauty and power of the new covenant that you have given to us and help us to reflect Your love and mercy to those around us that they may come to know Jesus. In Jesus’ Name I pray.
“A Greater Covenant”
Hebrews 8:6-13
December 22, 2010
This area of Hebrews begins one of the great subjects of the Bible – the new covenant of God. The Greek word for “covenant” is diatheke and it carries the meaning of an agreement between two parties. In life there are 2 kinds of covenants. The first is where both parties set the terms and mutually agree to them. The second is where one party sets the terms, but both parties agree to them. This kind of covenant is referred to as a will or testament. The latter is the covenant of God.
The new covenant is of God and not of man. Man has absolutely nothing to do with the terms of this covenant. It’s similar to the last will and testament of a human. The beneficiaries can’t change or argue with the conditions of the will; the can only receive or reject the inheritance. So it is with this covenant relationship between God and man. God sets the terms; we either accept or reject – no argument or debate. End of story. Now, let’s get to the point of these verses. That is that this covenant has been established by God and given to man by the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the minister of this new covenant and it is, by far, superior to the old covenant in several ways. First, the new covenant is
FOUNDED BY A PERFECT MEDIATOR -- Hebrews 8:6a “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one….”
The word “mediator” comes from the Greek word “mesites” which means someone who stands between two parties and brings them together . He is the negotiator and arbitrator. That’s Jesus. But the difference between human mediators and Jesus is that Jesus is perfect and He is chosen by God to stand between God and man. Jesus is perfect and does not twist, change, deceive add to, take away from or misrepresent the terms of God’s covenant. He spells out and proclaims perfectly the truth of this covenant. Secondly, the new covenant is:
FOUNDED ON BETTER PROMISES -- Hebrews 6b “….and it is founded on better promises.”
The Old Testament covenant was a covenant of the law. God promised that He would accept, bless and fellowship with man IF man would keep the law. Man accepted the conditions and vowed to obey the terms of God’s covenant. But man would find out about a terrible fact. The law was not full and complete enough. It did not go far enough in meeting man’s need. There were 4 weaknesses. First
IT DIDN’T PROVIDE INNER STRENGTH TO OBEY -- The law declared that God was holy and that He expected man to be the same way. But the law didn’t help man to obey. Secondly,
IT DIDN’T PROVIDE POWER TO BECOME ACCEPTABLE -- The law said that man could become acceptable to God but it didn’t provide the energy to become acceptable or to inherit eternal life. Thirdly,
IT DIDN’T PROVIDE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD -- The law said that God was the sovereign ruler of the universe but it didn’t provide for personal knowledge and fellowship with God. Finally,
IT SAID NOTHING ABOUT GOD’S LOVE AND MERCY -- The law said that God was strict and stern, just and holy. But the law said nothing about the love and mercy of God and His forgiveness.
That’s where the new covenant is better than the old. It’s founded on better promises. In the new covenant a person finds the inner power and strength they need; God’s personal acceptance means eternal life; a personal knowledge and fellowship with God and there is understanding of God’s love and mercy and forgiveness.
The new covenant means that God’s presence is much more real to you than it was to those under the old covenant. The Holy Spirit has come to guide us and educate us to the truths of God. The emotional quality of your life with God is better. You obey God because you love Him not because it’s your duty. Finally, under the new covenant, the mission for your life is greater. God will use you no matter where you are or what you are doing for a living – plumber, carpenter, landlord, nurse, surgeon, preacher. The barrier between sacred calling and secular work is gone. Everything shows the need for redemption and everywhere God displays the possibility for it. You, as a child of God and a follower of Jesus Christ are part of this movement of God. Thirdly, the new covenant:
ELIMINATES WEAKNESSES OF THE FIRST COVENANT -- Hebrews 8:7-9 “For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.”
From this point on, God is the one who is doing the talking and God is the one that pointing out the weaknesses of the old covenant. Thomas Hewitt, a Bible commentator said, “The Old covenant could reveal sin but not remove it, and being defective it could not save or justify guilty sinners. It failed to meet the deepest needs of sinful man….sin had made it ineffective. The real cause of the covenant’s weakness was man’s sinfulness; therefore God finds fault with them (man).”
The point here is if the old covenant was without fault, then a new covenant would not be necessary. But man, symbolized in Israel, didn’t keep the old covenant or law. The law did not have the ability to give power to man to keep the law so, God had to do something else or man would be eternally lost. So, He made a new covenant. God rejected Israel because they didn’t keep the old covenant and God will, most certainly, reject us if we do not keep the great, new covenant that focuses on His only Son, Jesus Christ. Fourthly, the new covenant:
IS AN INWARD SPIRITUAL POWER FOR MAN -- Hebrews 8:10-12 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
The new covenant gives man 4 great powers. They are:
THE POWER OF A NEW MIND AND HEART -- a reference to the new birth.
THE POWER OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD -- God said, “I will be their God and they will be My people.”
THE POWER TO KNOW GOD PERSONALLY -- No longer a need for human mediation by other human beings.
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS -- Forgiveness of sins means that God doesn’t remember our sins – forgiveness of sins is the basis for all other promises – and forgiveness of sins is based upon God’s mercy. Finally, the new covenant:
MAKES THE FIRST COVENANT OLD -- Hebrews 8:13 “By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. “
Because there is a new covenant given by God, that means that the old covenant is out of date, obsolete, and no longer of any use. But we must remember that the new covenant is bound up in the person of Jesus Christ. We no longer look to the law but to Jesus. Jesus has fulfilled the law. And as we follow Jesus and His righteousness and holiness, we follow God’s holiness and righteousness.
Many of the Jewish believers wanted to cling to the obsolete old ways instead of embracing Christ’s new covenant. Their spiritual growth had stopped and their belief system had brought about a boredom and their spiritual life had declined to nothing more than ritualistic duty. To keep that from happening to us we must remember that life in Christ is an on-going process until we get to heaven when we will experience the completeness of that life. Until then, growth is the normal pattern. It will endure seasons of drought and drudgery. That’s normal.
The key to continued growth in Christ is daily devotion to Jesus, Bible study and prayer. We need to seek for God daily for how he would have you to keep growing in your faith.
Father, thank You once again for the principles we are seeing in and through the work and life of Jesus Christ. Grant us the grace to remember the beauty and power of the new covenant that you have given to us and help us to reflect Your love and mercy to those around us that they may come to know Jesus. In Jesus’ Name I pray.
Monday, December 20, 2010
THE UNFOREGETTABLE NATIVITY
The following is the Sunday morning message from December 19, 2010.
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THE UNFORGETTABLE NATIVITY
Luke 2:4-7
December 19, 2010
There's a story about a couple who had been under a lot of stress because of the Christmas season. They decided that they should take some time out and go out for a really nice dinner to celebrate the Christmas holiday. So, they called a taxi and the last thing they did before they left, was to put the cat out. Just then the taxi arrived, and as the couple walked out of the house, the cat shoots back in. So the husband goes back inside to chase it out. The wife, not wanting it known that the house would be empty, explained to the taxi driver "He’ll be back in a minute. He's just going upstairs to say goodbye to my mother." A few minutes later, the stressed out husband got into the taxi and said out loud, "Sorry I took so long, the stupid thing was hiding under the bed and I had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out!"
One of the most popular symbols of Christmas is the nativity. PP The word nativity comes from a French word pronounced "kresh" and it means "crib."
St. Francis of Assisi is said to have introduced the world to the three-dimensional Nativity Scene after a trip to Egypt in 1220. He was said to have used live humans and animals in his set. The idea of the nativity scene soon spread to Germany in the 1600’s. I came across a web site the other day that sells nativity scenes that range in price from $10.00 to $18,000.00.
On this final Sunday before Christmas, I want to briefly look at the first nativity scene and the various components and see what lessons we can learn. So, let's set the stage here by reading our text verses in Luke 2:4-7—READ THEM. The first thing we learn is from Mary. What we learn is that:
SURRENDER TO GOD ALLOWS THE IMPOSSIBLE TO HAPPEN -- The nativity scene starts with Gabriel telling Mary that she's going to have a baby. Luke 1:34 shows Mary who’s a little confused and she says, "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
In Luke 1:35, the angel says to her “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’”
Then in vs 37 the angel says, “For nothing is impossible with God.” Don’t you just love that verse – NOTHING (say nothing) NOTHING is impossible with God. There’s no sickness, no problem, no circumstance, no situation that can’t be overcome by the power of God. There are no limits on what the Holy Spirit can do.
Then in vs 38 Mary says "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Now, that’s trust.
In these verses we see that in all of the spiritual events that affect us in life, we choose whether or not we surrender to and follow the will of God for our life. That’s what Mary did. When we do that, then the Holy Spirit takes over and gives us a new life. How and when God does all of that is up to Him – not us. Now, let’s look at Joseph. From Joseph we learn that:
WE MUST TRUST GOD TO WORK IN THE LIFE OF OUR LOVED ONES – Have you ever wondered about Joseph in this whole thing? Matthew 1:19 shows us that Joseph was ready to dump Mary. He said “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”
God was doing something special in Mary's life. Joseph shows us that it takes trust in God to believe that He knows what He's doing in the life of one of your loved ones – healing them, delivering them, saving them. Now, let’s look at the stable. The stables teaches us that:
NO MATTER WHAT YOU CAN STILL IDENTIFY WITH JESUS -- God set things up so that His Son would be born in a barn instead of a palace. Jesus didn't get to escape the harsh realities of life. No matter what life hands to you, you can know that Jesus has been there. If you've been saying, "No one understands what I'm going through" just look at the stable. Jesus understands. The manger shows us that:
WITH GOD THE SIMPLE BECOMES SUPERNATURAL -- Mary put her baby in a manger that was just a crude, piece of smelly barn furniture. But that manger becomes a symbol of what happens when God steps into the life of an ordinary man or woman when they put their faith in Jesus Christ. They become extraordinary people. Then there's the baby Jesus who teaches us that:
HE BECAME LIKE YOU, SO YOU CAN BECOME LIKE HIM – 2 Cor 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
Jesus set aside all of His glory in heaven and came to earth as a baby to become like us so we could become like Him. He took on human flesh so he could die for our sins. How about the shepherds? The shepherds teach us that:
GOD WANTS YOU TO SHARE THE STORY OF JESUS -- God intentionally sent his angels to some smelly, uneducated, illiterate, dirty, societal outcasts with the news of His Son's coming. He didn't send them to a king or some high priest. Luke 2:17 tells us that when they found Jesus, “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…”
When Jesus comes into your life, God wants you to tell others. Christmas is a time of gift giving. Jesus is the best gift you could give to someone you love. Then there’s the star which teaches us that:
IF YOU HONESTLY SEEK JESUS, GOD WILL GUIDE YOU THERE -- God went to supernatural lengths to get these wise men where they needed to go. Maybe there's someone here who might have thought "Yeah, if God would put some sort of laser light on for me to follow, I'd believe Him." Chances are that God has already put someone in your life to be a guide to get you there. Maybe it's one who invited you here this morning. Maybe God wants you to be a guiding light for someone to find Jesus. Will you be faithful? Finally, the Magi teach us:
TO OFFER OUR BEST TO JESUS –Traditionally we sing about the 3 kings but we don't know for sure how many there were. There could have been 30 or more. But we know that they were men because got lost and they were late.
I read that if they had been wise women they would have asked for directions, got there on time, help deliver the baby, clean the stable, made a casserole, brought some practical gifts and THEN there would be peace on earth. Maybe!
But the point is that these magi kept on looking for Jesus. They didn't quit. And when they found him they were willing to worship Him. Matthew 2:11 says, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”
When these magi bowed before Jesus, they were saying that Jesus was truly a king. They gave him treasures -- they gave Jesus their best. How about you? Have you bowed before Jesus as your King? Have you offered Him the best you have of your time, talents, treasure?
CALL -------------------- This year of 2010 has been pretty tough for many. We've seen the depravity of men get worse and worse because they don't follow Jesus Christ.
We need to revisit the nativity to find the inner strength, peace and joy that is found in Jesus. I wonder, do you need some strength, some joy, some peace, and some direction? It's all yours for the asking. It comes from having a relationship with Jesus Will you ask Jesus into your heart this morning? (prayer)
Are you wanting God to do a supernatural work in your life? That can happen if you’ll just say, "Lord, I trust you. I need your help to get rid of bitterness, to get rid of resentment, to get rid of anger, to get rid of a habit. Lord, today in this service, I surrender my life and my circumstances totally and completely to you. Help me, to give you the best of my life for the rest of my life." If you’re willing to surrender all of your life and circumstances to Him, then let’s come to the altar and together, lay that situation on the altar, give it to Him and then leave it there.
Father, thank You for the wonderful season of Christmas. Thank you for the beauty of the first nativity and all that it teaches us. Help us to surrender to You so that You can work the impossible in our life. Help us to trust You to work in the lives of our loved ones. Help us to remember that no matter what's going on in our lives, we can know that Jesus understands our pain and grief. Thank You that Jesus became like us so that we could become like Him. Give us the courage and boldness to share with others the story about Jesus and His love this Christmas holiday. Thank You for showing us that You will always lead us to Jesus if we will truly seek Him. Help us to offer Him the very best we have to offer with our time, our energy, our finances, our talents. In Jesus Name. AMEN
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THE UNFORGETTABLE NATIVITY
Luke 2:4-7
December 19, 2010
There's a story about a couple who had been under a lot of stress because of the Christmas season. They decided that they should take some time out and go out for a really nice dinner to celebrate the Christmas holiday. So, they called a taxi and the last thing they did before they left, was to put the cat out. Just then the taxi arrived, and as the couple walked out of the house, the cat shoots back in. So the husband goes back inside to chase it out. The wife, not wanting it known that the house would be empty, explained to the taxi driver "He’ll be back in a minute. He's just going upstairs to say goodbye to my mother." A few minutes later, the stressed out husband got into the taxi and said out loud, "Sorry I took so long, the stupid thing was hiding under the bed and I had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out!"
One of the most popular symbols of Christmas is the nativity. PP The word nativity comes from a French word pronounced "kresh" and it means "crib."
St. Francis of Assisi is said to have introduced the world to the three-dimensional Nativity Scene after a trip to Egypt in 1220. He was said to have used live humans and animals in his set. The idea of the nativity scene soon spread to Germany in the 1600’s. I came across a web site the other day that sells nativity scenes that range in price from $10.00 to $18,000.00.
On this final Sunday before Christmas, I want to briefly look at the first nativity scene and the various components and see what lessons we can learn. So, let's set the stage here by reading our text verses in Luke 2:4-7—READ THEM. The first thing we learn is from Mary. What we learn is that:
SURRENDER TO GOD ALLOWS THE IMPOSSIBLE TO HAPPEN -- The nativity scene starts with Gabriel telling Mary that she's going to have a baby. Luke 1:34 shows Mary who’s a little confused and she says, "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
In Luke 1:35, the angel says to her “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’”
Then in vs 37 the angel says, “For nothing is impossible with God.” Don’t you just love that verse – NOTHING (say nothing) NOTHING is impossible with God. There’s no sickness, no problem, no circumstance, no situation that can’t be overcome by the power of God. There are no limits on what the Holy Spirit can do.
Then in vs 38 Mary says "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Now, that’s trust.
In these verses we see that in all of the spiritual events that affect us in life, we choose whether or not we surrender to and follow the will of God for our life. That’s what Mary did. When we do that, then the Holy Spirit takes over and gives us a new life. How and when God does all of that is up to Him – not us. Now, let’s look at Joseph. From Joseph we learn that:
WE MUST TRUST GOD TO WORK IN THE LIFE OF OUR LOVED ONES – Have you ever wondered about Joseph in this whole thing? Matthew 1:19 shows us that Joseph was ready to dump Mary. He said “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”
God was doing something special in Mary's life. Joseph shows us that it takes trust in God to believe that He knows what He's doing in the life of one of your loved ones – healing them, delivering them, saving them. Now, let’s look at the stable. The stables teaches us that:
NO MATTER WHAT YOU CAN STILL IDENTIFY WITH JESUS -- God set things up so that His Son would be born in a barn instead of a palace. Jesus didn't get to escape the harsh realities of life. No matter what life hands to you, you can know that Jesus has been there. If you've been saying, "No one understands what I'm going through" just look at the stable. Jesus understands. The manger shows us that:
WITH GOD THE SIMPLE BECOMES SUPERNATURAL -- Mary put her baby in a manger that was just a crude, piece of smelly barn furniture. But that manger becomes a symbol of what happens when God steps into the life of an ordinary man or woman when they put their faith in Jesus Christ. They become extraordinary people. Then there's the baby Jesus who teaches us that:
HE BECAME LIKE YOU, SO YOU CAN BECOME LIKE HIM – 2 Cor 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
Jesus set aside all of His glory in heaven and came to earth as a baby to become like us so we could become like Him. He took on human flesh so he could die for our sins. How about the shepherds? The shepherds teach us that:
GOD WANTS YOU TO SHARE THE STORY OF JESUS -- God intentionally sent his angels to some smelly, uneducated, illiterate, dirty, societal outcasts with the news of His Son's coming. He didn't send them to a king or some high priest. Luke 2:17 tells us that when they found Jesus, “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…”
When Jesus comes into your life, God wants you to tell others. Christmas is a time of gift giving. Jesus is the best gift you could give to someone you love. Then there’s the star which teaches us that:
IF YOU HONESTLY SEEK JESUS, GOD WILL GUIDE YOU THERE -- God went to supernatural lengths to get these wise men where they needed to go. Maybe there's someone here who might have thought "Yeah, if God would put some sort of laser light on for me to follow, I'd believe Him." Chances are that God has already put someone in your life to be a guide to get you there. Maybe it's one who invited you here this morning. Maybe God wants you to be a guiding light for someone to find Jesus. Will you be faithful? Finally, the Magi teach us:
TO OFFER OUR BEST TO JESUS –Traditionally we sing about the 3 kings but we don't know for sure how many there were. There could have been 30 or more. But we know that they were men because got lost and they were late.
I read that if they had been wise women they would have asked for directions, got there on time, help deliver the baby, clean the stable, made a casserole, brought some practical gifts and THEN there would be peace on earth. Maybe!
But the point is that these magi kept on looking for Jesus. They didn't quit. And when they found him they were willing to worship Him. Matthew 2:11 says, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”
When these magi bowed before Jesus, they were saying that Jesus was truly a king. They gave him treasures -- they gave Jesus their best. How about you? Have you bowed before Jesus as your King? Have you offered Him the best you have of your time, talents, treasure?
CALL -------------------- This year of 2010 has been pretty tough for many. We've seen the depravity of men get worse and worse because they don't follow Jesus Christ.
We need to revisit the nativity to find the inner strength, peace and joy that is found in Jesus. I wonder, do you need some strength, some joy, some peace, and some direction? It's all yours for the asking. It comes from having a relationship with Jesus Will you ask Jesus into your heart this morning? (prayer)
Are you wanting God to do a supernatural work in your life? That can happen if you’ll just say, "Lord, I trust you. I need your help to get rid of bitterness, to get rid of resentment, to get rid of anger, to get rid of a habit. Lord, today in this service, I surrender my life and my circumstances totally and completely to you. Help me, to give you the best of my life for the rest of my life." If you’re willing to surrender all of your life and circumstances to Him, then let’s come to the altar and together, lay that situation on the altar, give it to Him and then leave it there.
Father, thank You for the wonderful season of Christmas. Thank you for the beauty of the first nativity and all that it teaches us. Help us to surrender to You so that You can work the impossible in our life. Help us to trust You to work in the lives of our loved ones. Help us to remember that no matter what's going on in our lives, we can know that Jesus understands our pain and grief. Thank You that Jesus became like us so that we could become like Him. Give us the courage and boldness to share with others the story about Jesus and His love this Christmas holiday. Thank You for showing us that You will always lead us to Jesus if we will truly seek Him. Help us to offer Him the very best we have to offer with our time, our energy, our finances, our talents. In Jesus Name. AMEN
Thursday, December 16, 2010
THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
“The Supreme Minister”
Hebrews 8:1-5
December 15, 2010
At one time, American car companies deliberately built obsolescence into auto-body styles so people would buy the new designs the next year. Distinctive body styles, such as the 1957 Chevy or the 1965 Mustang convertible, remain collector items. Recently, some have been complaining that computer manufacturers have raised built-in obsolescence to new heights.
Now, we might not appreciate the fact that our products become obsolete, but we can be thankful for the obsolescence that God built into the old covenant, which has been superseded by the new covenant. Christ, the High Priest of the new covenant, will remain new and effective for all time; neither he nor his ministry to believers will ever grow obsolete. We can count on him. So, let’s look at a critical question: What is the great ministry of Jesus Christ? What is it that He does for us in this ministry? There are 5 points to be considered in answering this question. First of all, Jesus is:
THE MINISTER OF A SPIRITUAL PRIESTHOOD -- Hebrews 8:1 “The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,”
When it comes to the earthly priesthood of Aaron and others who followed, there were qualifications that had to be met for that person to be a priest. So it is in heaven and for God that if someone is going to stand before God FOR man, that someone has to meet certain conditions. The heavenly High Priest has to have certain qualifications. What are those requirements? According to Scripture:
He has to be perfect, completely faithful and true to God. (Heb. 2:17)
He has to be merciful and become the sacrifice for the sins of man. (Heb 2:17)
He has to live as a man and face all the trials and temptations of men without sinning. (Heb 2:17)
He has to help and feel man’s infirmities and have compassion for man. (Heb. 2:18)
He has to be appointed and ordained by God to be the High Priest in heaven. (Heb 5:5-6)
He has to become the perfect author of eternal salvation. (Heb 5:9)
He has to be the priest who is in the order of Melchizedek and not earthy priests. (Heb. 5:6)
He has to be the one who went to heaven before us. (Heb. 6:20)
He has to be eternal and have an indestructible life. (Heb 7:16)
He has to live forever to intercede for those who come to God through Him. (Heb. 7:25)
He has to be exalted to the right hand of God. (Heb 7:26)
When someone meets all of these requirements, then they are qualified to be the High Priest in heaven. And without question, Jesus Christ meets all of these qualifications.
Now one else is qualified – ever has been or ever will be except Jesus. Note the words “the point: in this verse. That means that this is the chief element, the principle thought about the priesthood of Jesus and all that has been said. Then, Jesus is:
THE EXALTED HIGH PRIEST AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD -- Again, Heb 8:1 “….who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven….”
There Jesus sits with God Himself, ruling and reigning with all authority and power both in heaven and earth.
Mark 16:19 says, “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.” 1 Peter 3:22 says, “… who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” Jesus is:
THE HIGH PRIEST OF THE TRUE TABERNACLE -- Hebrews 8:2 says, “….and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.”
Jesus is not in heaven just to rule as Lord and to receive the honor and worship of subjects throughout the universe, that can never be known by his subjects. But as the Minister of the true sanctuary Jesus is there to:
Receive us as we come to God ---to hear our cries for mercy and grace to help in times of need ---to save us perfectly, totally and completely --- to represent us as the perfect sacrificial offering for our sins --- to deliver us from all of the corruption of this world --- to minister the Word of God to our hearts.
He’s not in heaven just basking in all of the glory just for Himself. He’s in heaven looking out for His people and reaching out to them. He’s there in the true sanctuary and tabernacle in heaven where God sits on His throne. It’s the very place where men offer their worship and praise to God. Jesus is:
THE HIGH PRIEST WHO OFFERS MEN’S GIFTS TO GOD -- Hebrews 8:3 “Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.”
The very purpose of earthly priests was to offer sacrifices from men to God. High Priests were appointed and the very reason for their existence was to offer these sacrifices so that God would accept men. By making such offerings it was felt that God would be pleased and he would approve men for heaven.
The point here is that Jesus Christ is now the High Priest, the One who is to offer the gifts and sacrifices of men to God. But there is one important difference. Anyone want to say what that is? WAIT Gifts being offered to God had to be perfect and had to be acceptable to God. No man has a perfect gift and sacrifice to offer to God. So, if that’s the case, what could be done?
If Christ is our great High Priest, He has to have something to offer for us. That’s what this verse is saying “for this one also to have something to offer.” But what could Christ offer? WAIT Only one thing – Himself. Why himself? WAIT Because He is the only sacrifice that is perfect. And He did it for us. Finally, Jesus is:
THE HIGH PRIEST OF THE HEAVENLY WORLD -- Hebrews 8:4-5 “If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
Verse 4 simply says that if Christ were a priest on earth, He would not be a priest at all. He wasn’t born of the Levite tribe but of which tribe? WAIT Judah. And no man could serve as an earthly priest if he wasn’t born into the priestly line of Levi.
The tabernacle on earth was a “shadow of what was in heaven.” Jesus wasn’t the minister of the shadow of what’s in heaven. He is the minister of the real world of heaven and of the real tabernacle and sanctuary of God.
The word “copy” is hupodeigmati which means a reflection or shadowy outline. The things of religion and worship on earth are only examples and shadows or copies of heavenly worship.
There is a real world and there is a heavenly world. And there is a tabernacle in heaven in the presence of God. It was the pattern from which Moses made the earthly tabernacle.
Exodus 25:40 speaking of the tabernacle that Moses built reads, “See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” God had shown Moses the real heavenly tabernacle and said to him, make a copy of this on earth. So that’s what Israel carried around in the wilderness.
The point is this: earthly priests can only give us the picture of heaven. But Jesus is the Priest and minister of the heavenly world. So, He is the One who can lead men into heaven, into a world that is real and perfect and has no end and is in the presence of God.
Father, what we have looked at tonight in Your Word has given us a clear picture of our Great High Priest who ministers in the real world of heaven. A place that is more real than anything on this planet. We have seen the scope of the ministry of Christ before You and only He can bring us into the place of eternal perfection. May we live daily with the understanding of the perfection of our High Priest and all that He has done for us. And in that process, help us to reflect His love and glory in our lives so that others may be drawn to Him as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.
“The Supreme Minister”
Hebrews 8:1-5
December 15, 2010
At one time, American car companies deliberately built obsolescence into auto-body styles so people would buy the new designs the next year. Distinctive body styles, such as the 1957 Chevy or the 1965 Mustang convertible, remain collector items. Recently, some have been complaining that computer manufacturers have raised built-in obsolescence to new heights.
Now, we might not appreciate the fact that our products become obsolete, but we can be thankful for the obsolescence that God built into the old covenant, which has been superseded by the new covenant. Christ, the High Priest of the new covenant, will remain new and effective for all time; neither he nor his ministry to believers will ever grow obsolete. We can count on him. So, let’s look at a critical question: What is the great ministry of Jesus Christ? What is it that He does for us in this ministry? There are 5 points to be considered in answering this question. First of all, Jesus is:
THE MINISTER OF A SPIRITUAL PRIESTHOOD -- Hebrews 8:1 “The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,”
When it comes to the earthly priesthood of Aaron and others who followed, there were qualifications that had to be met for that person to be a priest. So it is in heaven and for God that if someone is going to stand before God FOR man, that someone has to meet certain conditions. The heavenly High Priest has to have certain qualifications. What are those requirements? According to Scripture:
He has to be perfect, completely faithful and true to God. (Heb. 2:17)
He has to be merciful and become the sacrifice for the sins of man. (Heb 2:17)
He has to live as a man and face all the trials and temptations of men without sinning. (Heb 2:17)
He has to help and feel man’s infirmities and have compassion for man. (Heb. 2:18)
He has to be appointed and ordained by God to be the High Priest in heaven. (Heb 5:5-6)
He has to become the perfect author of eternal salvation. (Heb 5:9)
He has to be the priest who is in the order of Melchizedek and not earthy priests. (Heb. 5:6)
He has to be the one who went to heaven before us. (Heb. 6:20)
He has to be eternal and have an indestructible life. (Heb 7:16)
He has to live forever to intercede for those who come to God through Him. (Heb. 7:25)
He has to be exalted to the right hand of God. (Heb 7:26)
When someone meets all of these requirements, then they are qualified to be the High Priest in heaven. And without question, Jesus Christ meets all of these qualifications.
Now one else is qualified – ever has been or ever will be except Jesus. Note the words “the point: in this verse. That means that this is the chief element, the principle thought about the priesthood of Jesus and all that has been said. Then, Jesus is:
THE EXALTED HIGH PRIEST AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD -- Again, Heb 8:1 “….who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven….”
There Jesus sits with God Himself, ruling and reigning with all authority and power both in heaven and earth.
Mark 16:19 says, “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.” 1 Peter 3:22 says, “… who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” Jesus is:
THE HIGH PRIEST OF THE TRUE TABERNACLE -- Hebrews 8:2 says, “….and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.”
Jesus is not in heaven just to rule as Lord and to receive the honor and worship of subjects throughout the universe, that can never be known by his subjects. But as the Minister of the true sanctuary Jesus is there to:
Receive us as we come to God ---to hear our cries for mercy and grace to help in times of need ---to save us perfectly, totally and completely --- to represent us as the perfect sacrificial offering for our sins --- to deliver us from all of the corruption of this world --- to minister the Word of God to our hearts.
He’s not in heaven just basking in all of the glory just for Himself. He’s in heaven looking out for His people and reaching out to them. He’s there in the true sanctuary and tabernacle in heaven where God sits on His throne. It’s the very place where men offer their worship and praise to God. Jesus is:
THE HIGH PRIEST WHO OFFERS MEN’S GIFTS TO GOD -- Hebrews 8:3 “Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.”
The very purpose of earthly priests was to offer sacrifices from men to God. High Priests were appointed and the very reason for their existence was to offer these sacrifices so that God would accept men. By making such offerings it was felt that God would be pleased and he would approve men for heaven.
The point here is that Jesus Christ is now the High Priest, the One who is to offer the gifts and sacrifices of men to God. But there is one important difference. Anyone want to say what that is? WAIT Gifts being offered to God had to be perfect and had to be acceptable to God. No man has a perfect gift and sacrifice to offer to God. So, if that’s the case, what could be done?
If Christ is our great High Priest, He has to have something to offer for us. That’s what this verse is saying “for this one also to have something to offer.” But what could Christ offer? WAIT Only one thing – Himself. Why himself? WAIT Because He is the only sacrifice that is perfect. And He did it for us. Finally, Jesus is:
THE HIGH PRIEST OF THE HEAVENLY WORLD -- Hebrews 8:4-5 “If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
Verse 4 simply says that if Christ were a priest on earth, He would not be a priest at all. He wasn’t born of the Levite tribe but of which tribe? WAIT Judah. And no man could serve as an earthly priest if he wasn’t born into the priestly line of Levi.
The tabernacle on earth was a “shadow of what was in heaven.” Jesus wasn’t the minister of the shadow of what’s in heaven. He is the minister of the real world of heaven and of the real tabernacle and sanctuary of God.
The word “copy” is hupodeigmati which means a reflection or shadowy outline. The things of religion and worship on earth are only examples and shadows or copies of heavenly worship.
There is a real world and there is a heavenly world. And there is a tabernacle in heaven in the presence of God. It was the pattern from which Moses made the earthly tabernacle.
Exodus 25:40 speaking of the tabernacle that Moses built reads, “See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” God had shown Moses the real heavenly tabernacle and said to him, make a copy of this on earth. So that’s what Israel carried around in the wilderness.
The point is this: earthly priests can only give us the picture of heaven. But Jesus is the Priest and minister of the heavenly world. So, He is the One who can lead men into heaven, into a world that is real and perfect and has no end and is in the presence of God.
Father, what we have looked at tonight in Your Word has given us a clear picture of our Great High Priest who ministers in the real world of heaven. A place that is more real than anything on this planet. We have seen the scope of the ministry of Christ before You and only He can bring us into the place of eternal perfection. May we live daily with the understanding of the perfection of our High Priest and all that He has done for us. And in that process, help us to reflect His love and glory in our lives so that others may be drawn to Him as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
THE BENEFITS OF CHRISTMAS
The following is the message from Sunday, December 12, 2010
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THE BENEFITS OF CHRISTMAS
John 3:16
December 12, 2010
A mother and a daughter are shopping in the mall when the mother eyes an expensive fur coat. "This year," she says, "I think I will buy my present instead of making you and Dad shop for me." The daughter nods in agreement. "I think this fur coat would be perfect, too." The daughter protests: "Mom, some helpless, poor creature had to suffer so you could have this." "Don't worry, Honey," says the mother. "Your father won't get the bill for a couple of weeks."
There's been a battle going on between the liberal media and the conservatives as to whether or not Christmas should be promoted as a "holiday" or as "Christmas." Christmas and the attitudes toward this holiday are certainly different than even just a few years ago. But, let's not talk about the politically correct debate and ask ourselves another question. Is there really any benefit to Christmas? Is there anything to this business of Christmas being a time of happiness and joy and peace?
Maybe you're saying to yourself this morning, "Bah, humbug, Pastor. Christmas isn't a happy time for me. I've lost my loved one." Or "My marriage isn't any better." Or "My health isn't improving." Or “My finances are a wreck.” Let me encourage you by saying, Jesus understands what you're going through.
Let’s read our text verse together and see why Christmas is important. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Christmas is important because:
JESUS CAME FOR YOUR BENEFIT -- Why would He do that? First, Jesus came:
TO SHOW US WHAT GOD IS LIKE -- Jesus Himself said in John 14:9 “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
The book of Romans 1:20 tells us that can learn a lot about God just by looking at trees, animals, rivers, mountains. We see that He is a powerful and creative God that likes beauty, and variety.
But nature can't show us God's forgiveness, His mercy, His love, His plan for our lives. Only Jesus can show us those things. Jesus came to earth:
TO SHOW US HOW TO LIVE -- Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
There are so many people around us who aren't living – they're existing. But Jesus said " I came to give you a life that's full, meaningful, and significant." Folks, until we get a connection with Jesus, life is going to be empty. Jesus came:
TO SHOW US THAT WE CAN TRUST GOD – Hebrews 2:13 "I will put my trust in him."
There was a television program preceding the 1988 Winter Olympics that featured blind skiers being trained for slalom skiing. Paired with sighted skiers, the blind skiers were taught on the flats how to make right and left turns. When that was mastered, they were taken to the slalom slope, where their sighted partners skied beside them shouting, "Left!" and "Right!" As they obeyed the commands, they were able to negotiate the course and cross the finish line, depending solely on the sighted skiers' word. It was either complete trust or catastrophe.
What a vivid picture of the Christian life! In this world, we are in reality blind about what course to take – what path we’re to follow. We need a sighted guide. The Word of God tells us that we must rely solely on the Word of the only One who is truly sighted--God Himself. His Word gives us the direction we need to finish the course.
You can’t trust a person until and unless you really know them. The more you know someone the more apt you are to trust them. The reason many people don't trust God is that they don't know Him. The more you know Him, the more you trust Him. Jesus came to earth:
TO FORGIVE ALL SIN -- 1 John 3:5 says, “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.”
Romans 3:23 tells us that “….all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Jesus came so that you could be forgiven for all of the wrong things you've ever done – to forgive you for every sin you’ve ever committed no matter how bad it was. You can go scott free. Jesus didn't stay in the manger – he left there and went down a path that took him to the cross. There He died for you and me so that our sins could be forgiven. Why? Because He loves you.
1 John 4:9-10 says, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
It's true that Jesus is the reason for the season. If God didn't know that you needed Him to come to earth, He wouldn't have wasted the time in coming. Christmas is important because:
YOU CAN KNOW GOD -- Jesus said in John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
The only reason you're on this earth is to have a relationship with God—to know Him on a personal basis. If you miss that grand truth, then you've blown your whole life.
God has given us a wonderful gift in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. But for a gift to be a gift, you have to receive it. Otherwise, it won't make any difference.
I hope you get lots of terrific gifts this Christmas. But, as great as they'll be, they're going to wear out – they're going to break – maybe they'll wind up in the returns department or a garage sale. But God's gift to you in the person of His Son, is: personal – it's custom made just for you. It's practical – it's priceless and it's permanent. It'll last forever.
CALL---------------How many more Christmases will you go through before you will finally accept the gift God has offered to you? It's the biggest and most wonderful gift you could ever get. How long before you accept it? Are you going to let another Christmas go by without taking that gift and unwrapping it and accepting God's gift to you?
When you understand just how great God's love for you really is – how incredible it is – how amazing it is and that it's free, there's only one rational, reasonable logical response to God's gift. Accept it. Will you do that this morning? Just raise your hand and by doing so you're saying, "I accept God's gift of His Son into my life."
Maybe, you've been close to God in the past and you've sort of drifted away from Him. There's no better time to come home to God than at Christmas. Will you tell Him that you want to come home? It doesn't matter how you say it, just say it. This is your moment to accept God's Christmas gift to you.
I'm going to pray a prayer and I want all of us to consider it in our hearts. Just follow along and if it expresses your heart's desire, then just say, "That's me, God."
Father, You have offered us a wonderful gift and we don't want another Christmas to pass by without accepting it. I want to know You and trust You. I want to know Your plan and purpose for my life. I accept Your forgiveness for my sins and the promise of eternal life. From today on I'm going to hang a sign on my life that says, "I'm under new management." Be the Lord of my life. In Jesus' name. AMEN
*******************************************************
THE BENEFITS OF CHRISTMAS
John 3:16
December 12, 2010
A mother and a daughter are shopping in the mall when the mother eyes an expensive fur coat. "This year," she says, "I think I will buy my present instead of making you and Dad shop for me." The daughter nods in agreement. "I think this fur coat would be perfect, too." The daughter protests: "Mom, some helpless, poor creature had to suffer so you could have this." "Don't worry, Honey," says the mother. "Your father won't get the bill for a couple of weeks."
There's been a battle going on between the liberal media and the conservatives as to whether or not Christmas should be promoted as a "holiday" or as "Christmas." Christmas and the attitudes toward this holiday are certainly different than even just a few years ago. But, let's not talk about the politically correct debate and ask ourselves another question. Is there really any benefit to Christmas? Is there anything to this business of Christmas being a time of happiness and joy and peace?
Maybe you're saying to yourself this morning, "Bah, humbug, Pastor. Christmas isn't a happy time for me. I've lost my loved one." Or "My marriage isn't any better." Or "My health isn't improving." Or “My finances are a wreck.” Let me encourage you by saying, Jesus understands what you're going through.
Let’s read our text verse together and see why Christmas is important. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Christmas is important because:
JESUS CAME FOR YOUR BENEFIT -- Why would He do that? First, Jesus came:
TO SHOW US WHAT GOD IS LIKE -- Jesus Himself said in John 14:9 “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
The book of Romans 1:20 tells us that can learn a lot about God just by looking at trees, animals, rivers, mountains. We see that He is a powerful and creative God that likes beauty, and variety.
But nature can't show us God's forgiveness, His mercy, His love, His plan for our lives. Only Jesus can show us those things. Jesus came to earth:
TO SHOW US HOW TO LIVE -- Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
There are so many people around us who aren't living – they're existing. But Jesus said " I came to give you a life that's full, meaningful, and significant." Folks, until we get a connection with Jesus, life is going to be empty. Jesus came:
TO SHOW US THAT WE CAN TRUST GOD – Hebrews 2:13 "I will put my trust in him."
There was a television program preceding the 1988 Winter Olympics that featured blind skiers being trained for slalom skiing. Paired with sighted skiers, the blind skiers were taught on the flats how to make right and left turns. When that was mastered, they were taken to the slalom slope, where their sighted partners skied beside them shouting, "Left!" and "Right!" As they obeyed the commands, they were able to negotiate the course and cross the finish line, depending solely on the sighted skiers' word. It was either complete trust or catastrophe.
What a vivid picture of the Christian life! In this world, we are in reality blind about what course to take – what path we’re to follow. We need a sighted guide. The Word of God tells us that we must rely solely on the Word of the only One who is truly sighted--God Himself. His Word gives us the direction we need to finish the course.
You can’t trust a person until and unless you really know them. The more you know someone the more apt you are to trust them. The reason many people don't trust God is that they don't know Him. The more you know Him, the more you trust Him. Jesus came to earth:
TO FORGIVE ALL SIN -- 1 John 3:5 says, “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.”
Romans 3:23 tells us that “….all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Jesus came so that you could be forgiven for all of the wrong things you've ever done – to forgive you for every sin you’ve ever committed no matter how bad it was. You can go scott free. Jesus didn't stay in the manger – he left there and went down a path that took him to the cross. There He died for you and me so that our sins could be forgiven. Why? Because He loves you.
1 John 4:9-10 says, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
It's true that Jesus is the reason for the season. If God didn't know that you needed Him to come to earth, He wouldn't have wasted the time in coming. Christmas is important because:
YOU CAN KNOW GOD -- Jesus said in John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
The only reason you're on this earth is to have a relationship with God—to know Him on a personal basis. If you miss that grand truth, then you've blown your whole life.
God has given us a wonderful gift in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. But for a gift to be a gift, you have to receive it. Otherwise, it won't make any difference.
I hope you get lots of terrific gifts this Christmas. But, as great as they'll be, they're going to wear out – they're going to break – maybe they'll wind up in the returns department or a garage sale. But God's gift to you in the person of His Son, is: personal – it's custom made just for you. It's practical – it's priceless and it's permanent. It'll last forever.
CALL---------------How many more Christmases will you go through before you will finally accept the gift God has offered to you? It's the biggest and most wonderful gift you could ever get. How long before you accept it? Are you going to let another Christmas go by without taking that gift and unwrapping it and accepting God's gift to you?
When you understand just how great God's love for you really is – how incredible it is – how amazing it is and that it's free, there's only one rational, reasonable logical response to God's gift. Accept it. Will you do that this morning? Just raise your hand and by doing so you're saying, "I accept God's gift of His Son into my life."
Maybe, you've been close to God in the past and you've sort of drifted away from Him. There's no better time to come home to God than at Christmas. Will you tell Him that you want to come home? It doesn't matter how you say it, just say it. This is your moment to accept God's Christmas gift to you.
I'm going to pray a prayer and I want all of us to consider it in our hearts. Just follow along and if it expresses your heart's desire, then just say, "That's me, God."
Father, You have offered us a wonderful gift and we don't want another Christmas to pass by without accepting it. I want to know You and trust You. I want to know Your plan and purpose for my life. I accept Your forgiveness for my sins and the promise of eternal life. From today on I'm going to hang a sign on my life that says, "I'm under new management." Be the Lord of my life. In Jesus' name. AMEN
Saturday, December 11, 2010
THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
“Perfect Forever”
Hebrews 7:25-28
December 8, 2010
Josephus, the Jewish historian, estimates that 83 high priests served Israel from Aaron to the fall of the second temple in AD 70. Each of those priests died eventually. But the writer of this epistle of Hebrews states that Jesus, unlike the other priests, lives forever.
As we continue to look at the Priesthood of Jesus, these verses open with a statement Jesus is able to save a person totally, completely and perfectly This is the subject of this passage of Scripture – Jesus is the perfect High Priest who can provide a complete and perfect salvation. There are several points here regarding the Priesthood of Christ. First of all Jesus is:
THE HIGH PRIEST WITH PERFECT POWER -- Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
There are 4 things being said about Jesus here. The first thing we see is that:
HE LIVES FOREVER IN GOD’S PRESENCE – Time and time again, this truth is presented in this chapter alone. Vs 16 tells us that he has a life that cannot be destroyed. Vs. 24 tells us that he lives forever, and that he has a priesthood that is permanent. Vs 28 tells us that he has been made perfect forever. The 2nd thing we see is that:
HE LIVES TO INTERCEDE FOR MAN -- This is a picture of the High Priest before God. In Christ we see the perfect love and justice of God. In his love we see that He was willing to send His only Son to die for us. In his justice in that He was willing to put His wrath on His only Son by placing the sins of the world on His Son’s shoulders. The third thing we see is that:
HE IS ABLE TO SAVE COMPLETELY -- The Greek word here for “completely” is panteles and it means to be saved perfectly, totally complete, finally and for all time. The 4th thing we see is that:
HE SAVES ONLY THOSE WHO COME TO HIM – We are saved only by coming to God through Jesus. We are not to deny God, curse God, neglect God, ignore God, rebel against God or reject God. We are to come to God, but through Jesus Christ because only Jesus can intercede for us. So, Jesus is the High Priest with perfect power. Jesus is also:
THE HIGH PRIEST WITH A PERFECT LIFE -- Hebrews 7:26 “Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” Here we see 5 more points about Jesus. First:
HE IS HOLY -- The Greek word for “holy” is hosios pronounced “HOS-ee-os” which means to be set apart and separated to God and separated from sin. Jesus is perfectly and eternally set apart from sin and all immoral and lawless behavior and attitudes. Secondly:
HE IS BLAMELESS -- The Greek word for “blameless” is akakos pronounced “AH-ka-kos” meaning not evil, free from all deception, envy and malice against anyone. It’s been said that “Jesus was so good that there was nothing but good in Him. Nothing but the goodness and love of God. Thirdly:
HE IS PURE -- The Greek word for “pure” is amiantos pronounced “ah-me-ON-tos” which means free from all moral impurity, uncleanness and defilement. Jesus was free from anything that would keep Him from God. Fourthly:
HE IS SET APART FROM SINNERS -- That is that He is totally different from sinners. He never sinned and never gave into sin. He was tempted just like we are, but He never yielded to any temptation. Finally:
HE IS EXALTED ABOVE THE HEAVENS -- This means that Jesus was raised from the dead never to die again. He ascended into heaven bodily to remain forever in the presence of God. And Jesus alone was exalted to the right hand of God never to leave that position again. So, Jesus has perfect power, a perfect life and He is:
THE HIGH PRIEST WITH THE PERFECT SACRIFICE -- Hebrews 7:27 “Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.”
The Jewish High Priest had only one function. Anyone want to say what it was?
WAIT – His one main function was to make sacrifice for the sins of the people. And he did that only once a year. It was a very special day known as what day? WAIT The day of atonement. It was the day when the High Priest took the blood of the sacrificial lamb into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. It was the only time during the year that man could enter the presence of God and then only the High Priest could approach God.
The point is that the High Priest was just a man who was imperfect and sinful just like all other men. Therefore, he had to offer up a sacrifice for himself before he could ever offer sacrifice for the people. Wm. Barclay describes the process this way: “Now the very first item on the ritual of that day was a sacrifice for the sins of the High Priest himself. He washed his hands and his feet; he put off his gorgeous robes; he clothed himself in spotless white linen. There was brought to him a bullock which he had purchased with his own money. He laid both hands on the bullock’s head to transfer his sin to it; and thus he made confession: ‘Ah, Lord God, I have committed iniquity; I have transgressed; I have sinned, I and my house. O Lord, I beseech Thee, cover over the sins and transgressions which I have committed, transgressed and sinned before Thee, I and my house.’ The greatest of all the Levitical sacrifices began with a sacrifice for the sin of the High Priest himself.”
But Jesus is the High Priest with the perfect sacrifice. He was sinless and perfect. Therefore, when He sacrifices His life for the sins of men, it was a perfect sacrifice. And being perfect, it never had to be done again. His sacrifice only had to be done just once whereas all of the other High Priests had to sacrifice repeatedly. So, Jesus had perfect power, a perfect life, the perfect sacrifice and He is:
THE HIGH PRIEST WITH PERFECT APPOINTMENT -- Hebrews 7:28 “For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”
Men were appointed by the law to be priests. The law could appoint men who were weak, frail, sinful, and dying. But this verse offers a great hope from God. That is that God has given His word that He will give us a perfect and eternal High Priest to save us and He has sworn that He will fulfill His Word.
God has done all that He could for us. He has given us a perfect salvation and a glorious privilege of living forever with Him for all of eternity.
Father, again we thank You for Your Word that continues to instruct us in living the Christian life. Most of all, Father, we thank You for giving to us a High Priest who is the Perfect Sacrifice and a High Priest who is eternal. Help us to reflect in our lives, the joy that is ours because of Your Perfect Salvation through our Perfect High Priest and that through Him, we can enjoy Perfect Power. In Jesus’Name.
“Perfect Forever”
Hebrews 7:25-28
December 8, 2010
Josephus, the Jewish historian, estimates that 83 high priests served Israel from Aaron to the fall of the second temple in AD 70. Each of those priests died eventually. But the writer of this epistle of Hebrews states that Jesus, unlike the other priests, lives forever.
As we continue to look at the Priesthood of Jesus, these verses open with a statement Jesus is able to save a person totally, completely and perfectly This is the subject of this passage of Scripture – Jesus is the perfect High Priest who can provide a complete and perfect salvation. There are several points here regarding the Priesthood of Christ. First of all Jesus is:
THE HIGH PRIEST WITH PERFECT POWER -- Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
There are 4 things being said about Jesus here. The first thing we see is that:
HE LIVES FOREVER IN GOD’S PRESENCE – Time and time again, this truth is presented in this chapter alone. Vs 16 tells us that he has a life that cannot be destroyed. Vs. 24 tells us that he lives forever, and that he has a priesthood that is permanent. Vs 28 tells us that he has been made perfect forever. The 2nd thing we see is that:
HE LIVES TO INTERCEDE FOR MAN -- This is a picture of the High Priest before God. In Christ we see the perfect love and justice of God. In his love we see that He was willing to send His only Son to die for us. In his justice in that He was willing to put His wrath on His only Son by placing the sins of the world on His Son’s shoulders. The third thing we see is that:
HE IS ABLE TO SAVE COMPLETELY -- The Greek word here for “completely” is panteles and it means to be saved perfectly, totally complete, finally and for all time. The 4th thing we see is that:
HE SAVES ONLY THOSE WHO COME TO HIM – We are saved only by coming to God through Jesus. We are not to deny God, curse God, neglect God, ignore God, rebel against God or reject God. We are to come to God, but through Jesus Christ because only Jesus can intercede for us. So, Jesus is the High Priest with perfect power. Jesus is also:
THE HIGH PRIEST WITH A PERFECT LIFE -- Hebrews 7:26 “Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” Here we see 5 more points about Jesus. First:
HE IS HOLY -- The Greek word for “holy” is hosios pronounced “HOS-ee-os” which means to be set apart and separated to God and separated from sin. Jesus is perfectly and eternally set apart from sin and all immoral and lawless behavior and attitudes. Secondly:
HE IS BLAMELESS -- The Greek word for “blameless” is akakos pronounced “AH-ka-kos” meaning not evil, free from all deception, envy and malice against anyone. It’s been said that “Jesus was so good that there was nothing but good in Him. Nothing but the goodness and love of God. Thirdly:
HE IS PURE -- The Greek word for “pure” is amiantos pronounced “ah-me-ON-tos” which means free from all moral impurity, uncleanness and defilement. Jesus was free from anything that would keep Him from God. Fourthly:
HE IS SET APART FROM SINNERS -- That is that He is totally different from sinners. He never sinned and never gave into sin. He was tempted just like we are, but He never yielded to any temptation. Finally:
HE IS EXALTED ABOVE THE HEAVENS -- This means that Jesus was raised from the dead never to die again. He ascended into heaven bodily to remain forever in the presence of God. And Jesus alone was exalted to the right hand of God never to leave that position again. So, Jesus has perfect power, a perfect life and He is:
THE HIGH PRIEST WITH THE PERFECT SACRIFICE -- Hebrews 7:27 “Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.”
The Jewish High Priest had only one function. Anyone want to say what it was?
WAIT – His one main function was to make sacrifice for the sins of the people. And he did that only once a year. It was a very special day known as what day? WAIT The day of atonement. It was the day when the High Priest took the blood of the sacrificial lamb into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. It was the only time during the year that man could enter the presence of God and then only the High Priest could approach God.
The point is that the High Priest was just a man who was imperfect and sinful just like all other men. Therefore, he had to offer up a sacrifice for himself before he could ever offer sacrifice for the people. Wm. Barclay describes the process this way: “Now the very first item on the ritual of that day was a sacrifice for the sins of the High Priest himself. He washed his hands and his feet; he put off his gorgeous robes; he clothed himself in spotless white linen. There was brought to him a bullock which he had purchased with his own money. He laid both hands on the bullock’s head to transfer his sin to it; and thus he made confession: ‘Ah, Lord God, I have committed iniquity; I have transgressed; I have sinned, I and my house. O Lord, I beseech Thee, cover over the sins and transgressions which I have committed, transgressed and sinned before Thee, I and my house.’ The greatest of all the Levitical sacrifices began with a sacrifice for the sin of the High Priest himself.”
But Jesus is the High Priest with the perfect sacrifice. He was sinless and perfect. Therefore, when He sacrifices His life for the sins of men, it was a perfect sacrifice. And being perfect, it never had to be done again. His sacrifice only had to be done just once whereas all of the other High Priests had to sacrifice repeatedly. So, Jesus had perfect power, a perfect life, the perfect sacrifice and He is:
THE HIGH PRIEST WITH PERFECT APPOINTMENT -- Hebrews 7:28 “For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”
Men were appointed by the law to be priests. The law could appoint men who were weak, frail, sinful, and dying. But this verse offers a great hope from God. That is that God has given His word that He will give us a perfect and eternal High Priest to save us and He has sworn that He will fulfill His Word.
God has done all that He could for us. He has given us a perfect salvation and a glorious privilege of living forever with Him for all of eternity.
Father, again we thank You for Your Word that continues to instruct us in living the Christian life. Most of all, Father, we thank You for giving to us a High Priest who is the Perfect Sacrifice and a High Priest who is eternal. Help us to reflect in our lives, the joy that is ours because of Your Perfect Salvation through our Perfect High Priest and that through Him, we can enjoy Perfect Power. In Jesus’Name.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Christmas Light For Life's Dark Moments
CHRISTMAS LIGHT FOR LIFE'S DARK MOMENTS
John 12:46
December 5, 2010
I just heard that Washington D.C. is not going to have a Christmas celebration this year. It seems that they can’t find 3 wise men.
We’re going to take a little break in our series of messages on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and focus on the coming Christmas season. Christmas is such a special time of year and I love this season.
One of the neat things about Christmas is the different outdoor light shows. Some of them are really spectacular especially ones that are set to music. But Christmas light shows are not all that new. In fact, there was a light show over 2000 years ago when the angels did one in the sky for the shepherds at Bethlehem. The fact is, light is a major theme in the Bible.
The very first command God gave is in Genesis 1:3 when He said, "Let there be light." 1 John 1:5 says, "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." But our text verse in John 12:46 is what I want to focus on for a few minutes. Let’s read it together what Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
We have all experienced times of darkness when we would just as soon stay in bed as to get up and face the world. But, that's life and it happens to all of us. We all experience:
DAYS OF DISAPPOINTMENT –Job said in Job 30:26 “Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness.”
Life is full of disappointments. We all have times when things don't turn out the way we plan. Some of you will look at a very small box under your Christmas tree thinking that is contains the keys to a 2011 Cadillac. But it turns out to be a key chain with a picture of Nancy Pelosi in it. We all experience:
DAYS OF STRESS – In Psalm 6:2-3 King David experienced stress and he cried out "Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?”
Maybe in this Christmas you’re sitting here and you’re stressed over finances—some may be stressed out physically. You just don't feel like doing anything. Some could be stressed over relationships that just aren't working out.
It’s like the little boy who went into a grocery store and asked for a box of Tide detergent. The grocer was curious and asked him, "What's it for?" The little boy said, "I'm going to wash my cat." The man said, "Son, you shouldn't wash your cat with this detergent. It could hurt it." But the boy insisted. A few days later he boy came back to the store. The grocer said, "How's your cat?" The little boy said, "He died." The man said, "Well, son, I warned you shouldn't wash your cat with Tide detergent." The boy said, "Oh, the soap didn't hurt him a bit! The rinse cycle is what got him." Stress happens to all of us. We all experience:
DAYS OF DOUBT -- John 12:35 Then Jesus told them, " The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.”
Sometimes life can be like walking around in a fog and you lose your bearings. You look at your past and you see failures and disappointments. Look at the present and you get stressed out. Look to the future and you get doubt, fear and worry. We all experience:
DAYS OF DEPRESSION -- Many years ago a young Midwestern lawyer suffered from such deep depression that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors out of his reach. He questioned his life's calling and the prudence of even attempting to follow it through. During this time he wrote, "I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not." But somehow, Abraham Lincoln received the encouragement he needed, and the achievements of his life thoroughly vindicated his bout with discouragement.
The prophet Jeremiah writes in Lamentations 3:19-20 “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.” There are times when just “thinking” about your problems will depress you. And the more you focus on problems, the more depression becomes a reality.
So, where do you turn in those dark days? 2 Samuel 22:29 “You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.” Let's read that together out loud.
Christmas reminds us that we don't have to walk in darkness anymore. Why? Because Jesus, the light of the world, has come. When you're disappointed:
JESUS ENCOURAGES YOU –Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Matthew 1:23 says "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
Jeremiah 29:11 God says to us, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Christmas is about the light of Christ coming into our lives to encourage us.
God is telling you that His plan for your life is far greater than any problem you're facing right now. When you are full of stress:
JESUS STRENGTHENS YOU – Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” With Jesus Christ in your life, you can face all things.
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me….” When we are full of doubt,
JESUS WILL GUIDE YOU -- John 8:12 (NLT) says, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
In 2011, you're going to be making some major decisions. You will need a reliable source that you know will always give you the right advice – the right direction. That source is the Word of God. PP Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” When you are depressed:
JESUS WILL CHANGE YOU – Ephesians 5:13 “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible."
When the light of Jesus Christ fills your life, it takes you out of the pit of despair and His light brings out the best in you. Maybe this Christmas season you've encountered one of those dark days. But Christmas brings a light that will drive away that darkness.
1 John 2:8 “Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.”
I'm sure that lots of people saw that same bright star that the wise men saw. It was in the sky for anyone to see. But they didn't do anything about it. However, the wise men followed it. It's one thing to know that there's a light, it's quite another to follow it. Will you choose darkness or light? It's up to you.
CALL------------------ Christmas is God saying to the human race, "I want you to know Me as I know you. I want a relationship with you." I'm talking about having a relationship with Jesus Christ – just as you are. God's Christmas gift to you is His Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is reach out and receive it. Are you ready to do that? Just raise your hand. (sinner’s prayer)
Others of you have already made that choice in the past. But things have gotten in the way and you've sort of drifted. You've gotten away from God and your relationship with Jesus has gotten lukewarm. It happens. But He's saying to you this morning, " It's Christmas. It's time to come home." Is that you this morning?
Father, thank You for this Christmas season. A time when we are reminded of Your great love for us that You displayed by sending Your only Son to be our Savior. There may be some here this morning, Lord, who are disappointed or discouraged or are full of doubt or are even depressed. I pray that they will reach out to You and receive the Light of Jesus for their dark days. And in that process, Lord, help them to find joy once again. In Jesus' name. AMEN
John 12:46
December 5, 2010
I just heard that Washington D.C. is not going to have a Christmas celebration this year. It seems that they can’t find 3 wise men.
We’re going to take a little break in our series of messages on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and focus on the coming Christmas season. Christmas is such a special time of year and I love this season.
One of the neat things about Christmas is the different outdoor light shows. Some of them are really spectacular especially ones that are set to music. But Christmas light shows are not all that new. In fact, there was a light show over 2000 years ago when the angels did one in the sky for the shepherds at Bethlehem. The fact is, light is a major theme in the Bible.
The very first command God gave is in Genesis 1:3 when He said, "Let there be light." 1 John 1:5 says, "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." But our text verse in John 12:46 is what I want to focus on for a few minutes. Let’s read it together what Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
We have all experienced times of darkness when we would just as soon stay in bed as to get up and face the world. But, that's life and it happens to all of us. We all experience:
DAYS OF DISAPPOINTMENT –Job said in Job 30:26 “Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness.”
Life is full of disappointments. We all have times when things don't turn out the way we plan. Some of you will look at a very small box under your Christmas tree thinking that is contains the keys to a 2011 Cadillac. But it turns out to be a key chain with a picture of Nancy Pelosi in it. We all experience:
DAYS OF STRESS – In Psalm 6:2-3 King David experienced stress and he cried out "Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?”
Maybe in this Christmas you’re sitting here and you’re stressed over finances—some may be stressed out physically. You just don't feel like doing anything. Some could be stressed over relationships that just aren't working out.
It’s like the little boy who went into a grocery store and asked for a box of Tide detergent. The grocer was curious and asked him, "What's it for?" The little boy said, "I'm going to wash my cat." The man said, "Son, you shouldn't wash your cat with this detergent. It could hurt it." But the boy insisted. A few days later he boy came back to the store. The grocer said, "How's your cat?" The little boy said, "He died." The man said, "Well, son, I warned you shouldn't wash your cat with Tide detergent." The boy said, "Oh, the soap didn't hurt him a bit! The rinse cycle is what got him." Stress happens to all of us. We all experience:
DAYS OF DOUBT -- John 12:35 Then Jesus told them, " The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.”
Sometimes life can be like walking around in a fog and you lose your bearings. You look at your past and you see failures and disappointments. Look at the present and you get stressed out. Look to the future and you get doubt, fear and worry. We all experience:
DAYS OF DEPRESSION -- Many years ago a young Midwestern lawyer suffered from such deep depression that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors out of his reach. He questioned his life's calling and the prudence of even attempting to follow it through. During this time he wrote, "I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not." But somehow, Abraham Lincoln received the encouragement he needed, and the achievements of his life thoroughly vindicated his bout with discouragement.
The prophet Jeremiah writes in Lamentations 3:19-20 “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.” There are times when just “thinking” about your problems will depress you. And the more you focus on problems, the more depression becomes a reality.
So, where do you turn in those dark days? 2 Samuel 22:29 “You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.” Let's read that together out loud.
Christmas reminds us that we don't have to walk in darkness anymore. Why? Because Jesus, the light of the world, has come. When you're disappointed:
JESUS ENCOURAGES YOU –Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Matthew 1:23 says "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
Jeremiah 29:11 God says to us, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Christmas is about the light of Christ coming into our lives to encourage us.
God is telling you that His plan for your life is far greater than any problem you're facing right now. When you are full of stress:
JESUS STRENGTHENS YOU – Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” With Jesus Christ in your life, you can face all things.
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me….” When we are full of doubt,
JESUS WILL GUIDE YOU -- John 8:12 (NLT) says, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
In 2011, you're going to be making some major decisions. You will need a reliable source that you know will always give you the right advice – the right direction. That source is the Word of God. PP Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” When you are depressed:
JESUS WILL CHANGE YOU – Ephesians 5:13 “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible."
When the light of Jesus Christ fills your life, it takes you out of the pit of despair and His light brings out the best in you. Maybe this Christmas season you've encountered one of those dark days. But Christmas brings a light that will drive away that darkness.
1 John 2:8 “Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.”
I'm sure that lots of people saw that same bright star that the wise men saw. It was in the sky for anyone to see. But they didn't do anything about it. However, the wise men followed it. It's one thing to know that there's a light, it's quite another to follow it. Will you choose darkness or light? It's up to you.
CALL------------------ Christmas is God saying to the human race, "I want you to know Me as I know you. I want a relationship with you." I'm talking about having a relationship with Jesus Christ – just as you are. God's Christmas gift to you is His Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is reach out and receive it. Are you ready to do that? Just raise your hand. (sinner’s prayer)
Others of you have already made that choice in the past. But things have gotten in the way and you've sort of drifted. You've gotten away from God and your relationship with Jesus has gotten lukewarm. It happens. But He's saying to you this morning, " It's Christmas. It's time to come home." Is that you this morning?
Father, thank You for this Christmas season. A time when we are reminded of Your great love for us that You displayed by sending Your only Son to be our Savior. There may be some here this morning, Lord, who are disappointed or discouraged or are full of doubt or are even depressed. I pray that they will reach out to You and receive the Light of Jesus for their dark days. And in that process, Lord, help them to find joy once again. In Jesus' name. AMEN
Thursday, December 2, 2010
THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
The following is the teaching from Wednesday, December 1, 2010
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THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
“Approaching The Throne”
Hebrews 7:1-24
December 3, 2010
Over and over throughout Israel’s history, this little country has been admired by her friends and enemies alike for her determination to liberate her people. But Israel’s resolve in doing so goes back a long way in history to the very beginning of this little nation to her father, Abraham.
In those days, there were 4 kings who attacked and defeated the city states of Sodom and her neighbors and carried of a bunch of hostages, including Abraham’s nephew Lot. (Genesis 14:5-12). Abraham gathered 318 men (vs 14) – his commandos—and took off in hot pursuit. Under the cover of night, he sent his force of men into a surprise attack on the hijackers . All 4 kings were put to flight and vs 16 says that he retrieved all of the hostages including Lot, and all of their possessions and a bunch of other people and went home victorious. Abraham wasn’t someone you wanted to mess around with.
On the way home, Abraham meets up with a very mysterious character by the name of Melchizedek, the priest of God who refreshed Abraham and gave him some bread and wine. In thankfulness to God for the victory and for sending this priest to him, Abraham gave Melchizedek 10% of all of the spoils. That’s the story. But it has a great deal of meaning regarding the priesthood of Jesus Christ and its superiority and how we approach God.
There has never been a more religious people than the Jews. So, if the priesthood of Jesus Christ can be shown to be superior to the Jewish Levitical priesthood, then His superiority over all earthly priests should be acknowledged which is the the writer of Hebrews sets out to do. Now, let’s consider a couple of points. The change of our approach to God is:
ILLUSTRATED IN MELCHIZEDEK – Hebrews 7:1-3 “This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.”
Take note of several facts about this priest. First of all Melchizedek:
WAS THE KING OF SALEM -- His name means “king of righteousness” and his rule was Salem or Jerusalem – Salem means “peace” so he was a King of Peace.
WAS A PRIEST OF GOD
WAS PAID TITHES BY ABRAHAM -- Abraham who was to give birth to the priesthood of God’s people, paid tithes to a greater priest.
WAS AN ETERNAL PRIEST -- How can it be said that he was eternal? WAIT Because, as far as men know, he had no genealogy – no record of his roots. In that day and time it was important for a priest to have a record of his roots because without that record he could not serve as a priest. So, Melchizedek not having any roots, stands as a type of the eternal priest who was to be sent into the world by God. The change of our approach to God is seen in:
THE SUPERIORITY OF MELCHIZEDEK -- Hebrews 7:4-10 “Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.”
Abraham paid tithes him so, he is greater than Abraham which, in turn means, that he is greater than the priests of Israel because those priests trace their roots to Abraham and Melchizedek did not. He has no roots. Melchizedek is greater than other priests because he blessed Abraham and Abraham gladly received that blessing. The lesser is being blessed by the greater. Don’t forget that the legal priesthood was still in the bosom of Abraham.
Melchizedek is a greater priest because he is not mortal. He is the type of an eternal priest. He is a greater priest than any other because all priests also tithed to him. How could that be since they were not yet born? WAIT In Biblical times a man’s descendants were considered to be in his bosom. So, when Abraham paid tithes to this priest, he great grandson Levi and all his priestly descendants were presented through Abraham. So, they too paid tithes to Melchizedek. So, with these facts in mind, let’s look at how our approach to God is changed:
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST -- There are 7 changes in the priesthood that have been brought by God. First there is a change:
IN THE WAY MAN SEEKS GOD’S ACCEPTANCE -- Hebrews 7:11 “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
How has man tried to find acceptance by God? WAIT Man has always sought to find God through religion – to become good enough for God to accept him. There are a few things in religion that have come about to help man find that acceptance. There is a change:
IN THE LAW -- Heb. 7:12 “For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.” The whole system of sacrifices and the Law has to be changed. Why? Because the law can’t make anyone perfect no matter how many sacrifices are made. The whole ministry of the priest is imperfect because the priest is imperfect and that means that man can’t be made perfect enough to be acceptable to God. So, the law and the priesthood has to be changed. So God promised a priest in the order of Melchizedek who would be perfect and eternal. There is a change:
IN THE ORIGIN OF THE PRIESTHOOD -- Heb 7:13-14 “He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.” All of the earthly priests had to come from the line of Levi. But Jesus came from the line of Judah. So, the priesthood of Jesus belongs to an entirely different line. There is a change:
IN THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PRIEST -- Heb 7:15-17 “And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Men were appointed as priests because they met the legal requirements. But Christ was appointed by God because of his endless life that was within himself. Men were and are frail, weak, corruptible, dying. The law of that day said that the priesthood was to be passed on to the oldest son. They couldn’t give life to a single person – only God can do that. But with Jesus, there is endless life within Him which is what man looks for. There is a change:
IN HOW MAN COMES TO GOD -- Heb. 7:18-19 “The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.” Since man has always sought to be found acceptable to God through the law, and since the law is weak and useless because man is weak and sinful, man cannot come to God for His acceptance through the law. So, how can man be saved and found acceptable to God? WAIT That a perfect and eternal high priest would offer a perfect sacrifice to God on man’s behalf – that was and is Jesus Christ. There is a change:
IN THE GUARANTEE OF THE PRIESTHOOD -- Heb. 7:20-22 “And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.'" Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. “ If God has just promised to send this perfect priest that man needed, that would have been good enough. But He did more than that when He swore that He would fulfill that promise. The priesthood of Jesus will never change and He will remain the Great High Priest eternally. Finally, there is a change:
IN THE NUMBER OF PRIESTS -- Heb. 7:23-24 “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;
but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.” Every human priest died. The priesthood was always changing. But Jesus lives forever with perfect, eternal and indestructible life. He is the only one that can make us acceptable to God.
Father, again we want to offer to You our thanksgiving and gratitude that, through Jesus Christ, You have provided us with a way into Your presence, with a way to be found acceptable by You even while we are weak, dying, and sinful. Through Jesus we have a permanent priest who will always intercede with You on our behalf. Help us to come to a fuller appreciation and understanding of just how important and perfect the priesthood of Jesus really is in our relationship with You. To know that acceptance by You can’t be found in any religion, or good work, or manmade rules. That acceptance comes only by the Holy Spirit drawing us to You to find eternal life through Jesus Christ, the giver of life. Help us to live and reflect that understanding and hope that we have in Jesus so that others will be drawn to Him for eternal life that every man looks for. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.
****************************************************************
THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
“Approaching The Throne”
Hebrews 7:1-24
December 3, 2010
Over and over throughout Israel’s history, this little country has been admired by her friends and enemies alike for her determination to liberate her people. But Israel’s resolve in doing so goes back a long way in history to the very beginning of this little nation to her father, Abraham.
In those days, there were 4 kings who attacked and defeated the city states of Sodom and her neighbors and carried of a bunch of hostages, including Abraham’s nephew Lot. (Genesis 14:5-12). Abraham gathered 318 men (vs 14) – his commandos—and took off in hot pursuit. Under the cover of night, he sent his force of men into a surprise attack on the hijackers . All 4 kings were put to flight and vs 16 says that he retrieved all of the hostages including Lot, and all of their possessions and a bunch of other people and went home victorious. Abraham wasn’t someone you wanted to mess around with.
On the way home, Abraham meets up with a very mysterious character by the name of Melchizedek, the priest of God who refreshed Abraham and gave him some bread and wine. In thankfulness to God for the victory and for sending this priest to him, Abraham gave Melchizedek 10% of all of the spoils. That’s the story. But it has a great deal of meaning regarding the priesthood of Jesus Christ and its superiority and how we approach God.
There has never been a more religious people than the Jews. So, if the priesthood of Jesus Christ can be shown to be superior to the Jewish Levitical priesthood, then His superiority over all earthly priests should be acknowledged which is the the writer of Hebrews sets out to do. Now, let’s consider a couple of points. The change of our approach to God is:
ILLUSTRATED IN MELCHIZEDEK – Hebrews 7:1-3 “This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.”
Take note of several facts about this priest. First of all Melchizedek:
WAS THE KING OF SALEM -- His name means “king of righteousness” and his rule was Salem or Jerusalem – Salem means “peace” so he was a King of Peace.
WAS A PRIEST OF GOD
WAS PAID TITHES BY ABRAHAM -- Abraham who was to give birth to the priesthood of God’s people, paid tithes to a greater priest.
WAS AN ETERNAL PRIEST -- How can it be said that he was eternal? WAIT Because, as far as men know, he had no genealogy – no record of his roots. In that day and time it was important for a priest to have a record of his roots because without that record he could not serve as a priest. So, Melchizedek not having any roots, stands as a type of the eternal priest who was to be sent into the world by God. The change of our approach to God is seen in:
THE SUPERIORITY OF MELCHIZEDEK -- Hebrews 7:4-10 “Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.”
Abraham paid tithes him so, he is greater than Abraham which, in turn means, that he is greater than the priests of Israel because those priests trace their roots to Abraham and Melchizedek did not. He has no roots. Melchizedek is greater than other priests because he blessed Abraham and Abraham gladly received that blessing. The lesser is being blessed by the greater. Don’t forget that the legal priesthood was still in the bosom of Abraham.
Melchizedek is a greater priest because he is not mortal. He is the type of an eternal priest. He is a greater priest than any other because all priests also tithed to him. How could that be since they were not yet born? WAIT In Biblical times a man’s descendants were considered to be in his bosom. So, when Abraham paid tithes to this priest, he great grandson Levi and all his priestly descendants were presented through Abraham. So, they too paid tithes to Melchizedek. So, with these facts in mind, let’s look at how our approach to God is changed:
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST -- There are 7 changes in the priesthood that have been brought by God. First there is a change:
IN THE WAY MAN SEEKS GOD’S ACCEPTANCE -- Hebrews 7:11 “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
How has man tried to find acceptance by God? WAIT Man has always sought to find God through religion – to become good enough for God to accept him. There are a few things in religion that have come about to help man find that acceptance. There is a change:
IN THE LAW -- Heb. 7:12 “For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.” The whole system of sacrifices and the Law has to be changed. Why? Because the law can’t make anyone perfect no matter how many sacrifices are made. The whole ministry of the priest is imperfect because the priest is imperfect and that means that man can’t be made perfect enough to be acceptable to God. So, the law and the priesthood has to be changed. So God promised a priest in the order of Melchizedek who would be perfect and eternal. There is a change:
IN THE ORIGIN OF THE PRIESTHOOD -- Heb 7:13-14 “He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.” All of the earthly priests had to come from the line of Levi. But Jesus came from the line of Judah. So, the priesthood of Jesus belongs to an entirely different line. There is a change:
IN THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PRIEST -- Heb 7:15-17 “And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Men were appointed as priests because they met the legal requirements. But Christ was appointed by God because of his endless life that was within himself. Men were and are frail, weak, corruptible, dying. The law of that day said that the priesthood was to be passed on to the oldest son. They couldn’t give life to a single person – only God can do that. But with Jesus, there is endless life within Him which is what man looks for. There is a change:
IN HOW MAN COMES TO GOD -- Heb. 7:18-19 “The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.” Since man has always sought to be found acceptable to God through the law, and since the law is weak and useless because man is weak and sinful, man cannot come to God for His acceptance through the law. So, how can man be saved and found acceptable to God? WAIT That a perfect and eternal high priest would offer a perfect sacrifice to God on man’s behalf – that was and is Jesus Christ. There is a change:
IN THE GUARANTEE OF THE PRIESTHOOD -- Heb. 7:20-22 “And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.'" Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. “ If God has just promised to send this perfect priest that man needed, that would have been good enough. But He did more than that when He swore that He would fulfill that promise. The priesthood of Jesus will never change and He will remain the Great High Priest eternally. Finally, there is a change:
IN THE NUMBER OF PRIESTS -- Heb. 7:23-24 “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;
but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.” Every human priest died. The priesthood was always changing. But Jesus lives forever with perfect, eternal and indestructible life. He is the only one that can make us acceptable to God.
Father, again we want to offer to You our thanksgiving and gratitude that, through Jesus Christ, You have provided us with a way into Your presence, with a way to be found acceptable by You even while we are weak, dying, and sinful. Through Jesus we have a permanent priest who will always intercede with You on our behalf. Help us to come to a fuller appreciation and understanding of just how important and perfect the priesthood of Jesus really is in our relationship with You. To know that acceptance by You can’t be found in any religion, or good work, or manmade rules. That acceptance comes only by the Holy Spirit drawing us to You to find eternal life through Jesus Christ, the giver of life. Help us to live and reflect that understanding and hope that we have in Jesus so that others will be drawn to Him for eternal life that every man looks for. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.
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